COVID-19 cases in Sask. nursing homes have plummeted 'dramatically' since vaccine rollout: SHA

Saskatchewan health officials say there are significantly fewer COVID-19 cases in the province's nursing homes now that vaccines are being widely distributed among residents.

On Thursday, during the province's latest COVID-19 news conference, Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) CEO Scott Livingstone said the number of COVID cases in long-term care and personal care homes has plummeted "dramatically" to as few as a dozen.

By comparison, just before Christmas, there were more than 200 cases in homes.

"We're seeing the benefits of that first dose and second dose take effect in our population," Livingstone said. "This is good news and it's being seen in other jurisdictions around the world."

As of last Tuesday, 91 per cent of long-term care residents had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The remaining nine per cent did not receive vaccines either because they refused it or could not receive it because of availability or other health issues. 

Forty-three per cent of residents had received two doses. 

According to a table of cases updated by the health authority, there were only 10 known cases of COVID-19 among nursing home residents as of Monday.

Residents of long-term and personal care homes were among the first priority groups targeted for vaccination ahead of the general public under Phase 1 of Saskatchewan's vaccine rollout plan. That phase got underway in late December.