A gathering size reduction and mandatory masks in indoor public spaces are coming to Saskatchewan’s three largest cities to address growing coronavirus rates.
Public health orders will be amended in Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, Nov. 6.
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The number of people allowed to gather inside homes in the cities is being reduced from 15 to 10.
All residents in the three cities will be required to wear non-medical masks as of Friday when in indoor public spaces. This includes all retail businesses, shopping centres and malls, personal services businesses, such as hair and nail salons, spas, body art facilities, and restaurants and bars, except while eating or drinking while seated in designated areas.
The public health order will be in place for 28 days and is subject to review by the chief medical health officer.
According to a press release, transmission trends in rural and smaller centres have been linked primarily to private gatherings while transmission in the urban areas includes both private gatherings and exposures in public spaces.
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Outbreaks and potential COVID-19 exposures in Saskatchewan for the past 2 weeks
Saskatchewan was one shy of tying its single-day record for new coronavirus cases in the province on Tuesday.
Health officials said there were 81 new cases in the daily update, with the overall total for the province growing to 3,373 since the first case was reported in March.
— More to come…
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus. In some provinces and municipalities across the country, masks or face coverings are now mandatory in indoor public spaces.
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