By Ryan Young
As India continues struggling with COVID-19, Saskatchewan is sending help.
Health Minister Paul Merriman and Trade Minister Jeremy Harrison were at the Regina airport this morning as 100 ventilators are being sent to the country.
Harrison says this is something the province needed to do.
“Saskatchewan and India have a very important relationship and we felt it was important to support India in what is a very challenging time.” Harrison said. “We had over 700 ventilators in Saskatchewan and we are nowhere close to using that number right now.”
The province also has a great trade relationship with India as over $1 billion of Saskatchewan products goes to the country each year.
By Moises Canales
May 11, 2021 | 4:51 PM
Members of both the Saskatchewan Party and Saskatchewan NDP are pushing residents to get vaccinated with their second COVID-19 vaccination dose when their time comes.
Health Minister Paul Merriman stressed Tuesday post-question-period that it is important for residents who already have their first dose to be aware of when they become eligible for their second. He mentioned that the Sask. government will soon pivot their messaging to urge people to get fully vaccinated.
“One shot is not enough. You have to get your second shot to be fully vaccinated,” stated Merriman. “This isn’t something you do half way. We want to make sure that everyone from the seniors down to the generation that is getting done right now gets both doses.”
School-based vaccine program for youth expected to start in early June School divisions in Regina and Saskatoon say it is too soon to know what those programs will look like as they wait for more guidance from the SHA.
Author of the article: Lynn Giesbrecht
Publishing date: May 12, 2021 • May 12, 2021 • 3 minute read • A health-care professional prepares a dose of the Pfizer coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine as high-risk workers receive the first vaccines in the state of Victoria s rollout of the program, in Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 22, 2021. Photo by SANDRA SANDERS /REUTERS
Article content
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is putting together its plan for a school-based COVID-19 vaccination program, which it says should see students in schools get their first shot before the end of the school year.
Saskatoon / 650 CKOM
May 12, 2021 | 2:44 PM
Saskatchewan sent ventilators to India as part of a COVID-19 relief package on May 12, 2021. (Logan Stein/980 CJME)
Saskatchewan is reaching out to take care of India, sending ventilators to the COVID-ravaged country on Wednesday.
India is facing a bad situation, with record COVID case numbers and a health-care system overwhelmed with too many patients and not enough resources.
On Wednesday morning, a plane was loaded up in Regina with ventilators to be sent to India to help.
“Saskatchewan always takes care of their neighbours; sometimes our neighbours are around the world. And we have a great relationship with the community of India in Saskatchewan and throughout Saskatchewan and we wanted to be able to do our part,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said.