COVID-19 in Sask.: More age groups to be eligible for 2nd shot, but limited access to drive-thru clinics

People 45 and older will be eligible for their second COVID-19 vaccine shots next week, but the possibilities to get the vaccine at a drive-thru clinic in Saskatchewan's two biggest cities will be limited.

Regina's drive-thru clinic will be closed Tuesday through Thursday, only offering the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine on Monday and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Friday, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

Saskatoon's drive-thru clinic won't be open until Friday (offering the Pfizer vaccine), meaning those who becomeeligible for second doses on Monday (everyone 50 and up) and Thursday (those 45 and up) will have to wait for a chance to get their shot at the city's drive-thru clinic.

Walk-in clinics are open in Regina Monday and Tuesday, and onThursday and Friday.

Beginning Monday, second doses will also be available to all northern Saskatchewanresidents age 18 and older, provided they've reached the recommended period of time since their first shot.

By June 24, all Saskatchewan residents age 12 and older will be eligibleto receive their second COVID-19 vaccine, according to the province.The timing of each person's shot will depend on the length of time that has passed since their first dose.

Updates on when age groups become eligible are scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays each week until all remaining populations are eligible.

Saskatchewan has allocated 89,880 doses of the Moderna vaccine for the week of June 14 and 130,620 Moderna doses for the week of June 21, according to the province's most recent COVID-19 update.

79% of residents over 40 have 1st shot

An additional 18,014 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in Saskatchewan Friday, bringing the total number to 878,665, the province's Saturday update said.

Seventy-nine per cent of people over the age of 40 have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, up from 78 per cent on Friday.

The rates remain unchanged compared to Friday for those 30 and older (73 per cent), 18 and up (68 per cent) as well as those 12 and older (66 per cent).

Daily COVID-19 numbers

Saskatchewan reported 106 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, up from 81 cases on Friday. One person in the 80-plus age group has died in the northwest zone of the province, Saturday's update said.

There are now 96 people in hospital in the province due to the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, including 17 in intensive care.

According to Saturday's update,a total of 11,664 cases involving variants of concern have been identified in Saskatchewan as of Friday.

The seven-day average of daily new cases in Saskatchewan is 79 6.5 new cases per 100,000 population. This number is slightly higher than the 78 average reported on Friday.

The new cases reported Saturday are in the following provincial zones:

• Far northwest: three.
• Far northeast: one.
• Northwest: 19.
• North central: 17.
• Northeast: two.
• Saskatoon: 29.
• Central east: three.
• Central west: five.
• Regina: 10.
• South central: eight.
• Southwest: three.
• Southeast: four.

Residence information is pending for two other new cases.

The province reported a total of 46,446 recoveries and 874 active cases. On Friday, the province processed 2,159 COVID-19 tests.