Prince Albert will now be opening a drive-thru COVID-19 immunization clinic beginning Saturday April 3rd, 2021, one day earlier than originally announced on Thursday.
This clinic will be administering the AstraZeneca vaccine.
This is as a result of an earlier than expected allocations of AstraZeneca and Saskatchewan is scheduled to receive approximately 55,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine between April 1 and April 7.
Other communities that will see additional clinics include Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Swift Current, Lloydminster and North Battleford.
The clinic will be running Saturday April 3 through Wednesday, April 7 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will be located at the Thorpe Industries Warehouse, 1 Pine Street, east of the Provincial Forest Fire Control Center- North of Prince Albert on Highway 2. Direction signs are posted.
There will be no public washrooms on site.
This drive-thru site will be on a first-come, first-served basis. And only those 55 years of age and older on the date of immunization will receive vaccine.
“To ensure a positive experience for those eligible and minimize waits, please do not attend the clinic unless you have been advised your age is eligible,” the SHA said in a release.
If you choose to access the drive-thru rather than keeping your booked appointment, please ensure you cancel online. Visit www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-vaccine and select ‘Book or change my appointment.’ You can cancel online even if you booked over the phone. You can also call 1-833-SASKVAX (1-833-727-5829) if you are unable to complete your request online.
“Vaccinations are the quickest path out of the pandemic event,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said in a release.
“We need to provide as many residents with safe and effective immunization as quickly as possible, prioritizing drive thrus for those centres with increased COVID-19 transmission rates.”
“All vaccines approved for use in Canada are safe and all have real-world evidence that they prevent the most serious illness and death caused by COVID-19,” Saskatchewan Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said. “The right vaccine for you is the one that is available to you. While Canada has put a pause on offering AstraZeneca to residents younger than 55 until a further safety review is completed, it remains that the risk of adverse effects of all vaccines is very, very low. The benefits of being vaccinated against COVID-19 far outweigh all risks.”
The drive thru and walk-in clinics announced this week will operate in addition to normal clinics. As of April 2, 2021, Saskatchewan residents 58 and older can book their appointment online 24/7 using their health card at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-vaccine; or call 1-833-SASKVAX (1-833-727-5829) between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.. Residents of the Northern Administration District 60 and older may also use both the online registration or call to book their appointments; residents of the Northern Administration District 50-59 may book by phone only at this time.
Eligible Phase One health care workers and people with underlying health conditions who are clinically extremely vulnerable can book their vaccination by calling 1-833-SASKVAX (1-833-727-5829) between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 p.m..
“As we navigate all the challenges that come with delivering these vaccines as quickly and safely as possible, it is critical for the public to remember that we are ahead of our original schedule at this point,” Scott Livingstone, CEO, SHA said.
“We are delivering vaccine to age groups well into phase two, which is a stage originally scheduled to begin in April, proving that the health care teams taking on this challenge are doing everything they can to help create access to the vaccines for every resident of Saskatchewan as soon as possible.”
