COVID-19

Moderna's bivalent vaccine will be available starting tomorrow (Thursday, September 29) for Saskatchewan residents 18 years and older.

Residents can book a shot through the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) or at participating pharmacies.

It's recommended that eligible residents receive the Moderna bivalent booster dose at least four months following their last COVID-19 vaccination, regardless of the number of COVID-19 doses received to date.

Long lines at airports across the country should start to end as the federal government’s COVID-19 restrictions expire this weekend.

Visitor restrictions are now in effect at Sioux Lookout’s Meno Ya Win Health Centre after two cases of COVID-19 were found over the weekend in two in-patients.

Staff say contact tracing is underway and anyone who is identified as a risk has been contacted.

Canadians who are hoping to travel abroad can delete their ArriveCan app by the end of the week.

Ottawa has announced that by October 1, the federal government’s COVID-19 border restrictions order will end – marking the end of the mandatory use of the ArriveCan app to input your vaccination status and test results.

The Member of Parliament for Provencher is calling it long overdue. 

Ted Falk is referring to news out of Ottawa that the last of Canada's COVID-19 border restrictions will expire next week. 

Ontario’s most vulnerable populations now have access to a new type of vaccine that aims to protect against the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The provincial government is now rolling out a bivalent COVID-19 booster to all Ontarians over the age of 18, if it's been at least six months since their last vaccine dose, beginning with those who are:

- 70 years and older,
- residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, etc
- Indigenous individuals and their household members 18 and over,

The Northwestern Health Unit has declared the COVID-19 outbreak affecting one unit within Kenora’s Pinecrest Home for the Aged over after no new positive tests were found over the weekend.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff for their hard work and dedication, not only during the outbreak, but each and every day. We would also like to the residents and families for all their support,” says Pinecrest leadership, in a prepared statement.

Kenora’s Pinecrest remains under COVID-19 outbreak measures, but staff say the situation is improving.

The Ontario government is predicting a spike in COVID-19 cases this fall, prompting them to make third doses of the vaccine available to children under the age of 12 for the first time.

“As we start spending more time indoors this fall, we can expect to see another increase in COVID-19 transmission. We’re also approaching a time of the year where other respiratory viruses increase in circulation,” explained Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore.

Another COVID-19 outbreak has been reported in one unit at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Staff say their Infection Control Teams are investigating the origin of the outbreak, and are working in collaboration with the Northwestern Health Unit to ensure effective control strategies.

Due to the outbreak, hospital-wide visitor restrictions have been implemented, with possible exceptions for end of life patients that are determined by the manager of the unit.