Premier Scott Moe. (980 CJME file photo)

By 650 CKOM News

Sask. implements new testing and isolation guidelines, but no new restrictions

Dec 30, 2021 | 12:57 PM

Saskatchewan has changed its guidelines for COVID-19 testing and isolation, but not its public health measures.

“We are continuing to watch our hospitalizations and our intensive care numbers very closely and we may take further action in the days and weeks ahead, but we are not today as the situation is what we have today,” Premier Scott Moe said during a conference call Thursday.

As of Wednesday, Saskatchewan had 83 COVID patients in its hospitals and 15 people in intensive care. Those numbers have been trending downward, even as case numbers increase.

Other provinces have tightened public health measures to deal with the spreading Omicron variant, but Moe noted those jurisdictions are seeing case numbers rise despite the changes they’ve made.

Places like Ontario and Quebec are setting records daily for COVID cases, but their hospitalization rates aren’t following suit as yet.

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“If (those provinces) start to move in their hospitalizations, then we would have a different decision,” Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman said during Thursday’s call.

“But right now we have had no indicators that the hospitalizations are jumping in other jurisdictions from people coming in presenting that are ill with COVID. Most of the hospitalizations are people that are coming in for some other reason and just happen to be testing positive.”

For that reason, Moe has asked the Saskatchewan Health Authority to start separating data to determine the numbers of people who are showing up at hospitals to be treated for COVID and those who are showing up for another reason and then finding out they have COVID.

Instead of ramping up public health measures, Moe once again asked people to do things individually to help limit the spread.

“The first thing that we can do to really keep ourselves healthy and those around us healthy is go out and get your first, second, third dose — whichever that you’re eligible for at that point in time,” he said. “It’s proven with all COVID variants, including Omicron, that if you have all three doses (and) you’re boostered, you’re likely not to get sick.

“The second thing that you can do is test yourself, in particular if you’re going out to visit with some other folks, groups of people, things of that nature. If you do a test, what that will do ultimately is prevent you from making other people sick.”

On Thursday, the provincial government said asymptomatic residents who receive a positive result from a rapid antigen test will no longer have to receive a PCR test to confirm the result.

The goal is to preserve PCR testing capacity for high-risk populations in the province.

As well, fully vaccinated asymptomatic residents who test positive following a rapid antigen test or PCR test will be required to self-isolate for five days, not 10 days as was required previously.

“The self-isolation period has been updated from 10 to five days for confirmed cases who are fully vaccinated and more accurately reflects the infectious period for those who have received full protection of immunization,” the government said in a media release.

Everyone who tests positive via a rapid antigen test or a PCR test should self-isolate and tell their close contacts.

According to the government’s new isolation protocols:

People who are fully vaccinated should self-isolate for five days from the date of their test or 48 hours after their symptoms end, whichever is later.

People who aren’t vaccinated or are partially vaccinated should self-isolate for 10 days from the date of their test or 48 hours after their symptoms end, whichever is later.

Close contacts must isolate for 14 days from the date of their last exposure to the infected individual, unless they’re fully vaccinated and don’t have any symptoms. They should use rapid antigen tests if they’re asymptomatic, ideally between Day 5 and Day 7 of the 14-day isolation. If symptoms develop, people should seek a PCR test.

PCR testing is recommended for people who have symptoms of COVID, including cold- and flu-like symptoms, and priority populations such as health-care workers, long-term and personal care home residents, and those who care for vulnerable populations.