Booster dose eligibility expanding

The provincial government is expanding the COVID-19 booster program starting Monday, October 25.

Boosters will be given to those at least six months after the second dose was received for the following:

  • Individuals aged 65 years and older.
  • Individuals living in the Far North and those living on First Nation communities, aged 50 years and older.
  • Health care workers, who will be asked to present a copy of their license from their professional licensing body or a workplace pay stub at the point of immunization.  Saskatchewan Health Authority staff will be required to present their staff identification.
  • Individuals born in 2009 or earlier with underlying health conditions that are clinically extremely vulnerable including:
    • People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
    • People with rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections, such as homozygous sickle cell disease
    • People who had their spleen removed
    • Adults with very significant developmental disabilities that increase risk, such as Down’s Syndrome
    • Adults on dialysis or with chronic kidney disease (stage 5)
    • Significant neuromuscular conditions requiring respiratory support

Those with the above underlying medical conditions, the Ministry of Health will be providing a letter to your physician or nurse practitioner for presentation at the point of immunization.

Immunization record will be confirmed at the clinic or pharmacy location to ensure that it has been at least six months since your last COVID-19 vaccination.

It is recommended that if you received two doses of a mRNA vaccine, your booster dose should be the same vaccine type.  If you received two different vaccine types, your third dose should be the matching mRNA vaccine — a full dose of the type of vaccine an individual received for their second dose will be given as a booster dose.  If you received two doses of Astra Zeneca, it is recommended that you receive an mRNA vaccine booster immunization.

If you have already received a third dose for travel or in a long-term care or personal-care home setting, you do not require a fourth dose.  The third dose already received provides the necessary increased protection; you do not need any further doses at this time.

The eligible populations announced today will be able to start booking their third doses online through the SHA Online Booking System,

Additional populations eligible for booster vaccinations will be announced in the coming weeks, once the populations announced today have received their third doses.

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