Saskatchewan’s relaunch plan kicks in after long weekend
By Medicine Hat News on May 16, 2020.
The majority of a phased first stage to reopen businesses and public life in Sakatchewan is set to take place following the May Long Weekend. On Friday, golf courses and drive-in theatres were allowed to reopen in the province, as well as fishing guide companies servicing the north. On Tuesday, retail operations, shopping malls, and public and farmers markets will be able to open under new guidelines that still require health and distancing requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some personal services, such as hair styling and barbers, registered massage therapy and acupuncture, will resume operations as well. The grouping is covered in Phase 2 of the five-step “ReOpen Saskatchewan” plan to gradually lift pandemic restrictions. Future phases are undated, but will be set as pandemic spread is re-evaluated. Some Alberta retailers and businesses, including restaurants for sit-down service, were able to open on May 14. Health officials in both provinces are calling for businesses and residents to maintain proper hand-washing and social distancing protocols. Limitations on the number of people attending a business at any one time are in place. Unnecessary travel is to be avoided, according to both the Alberta Health Services and the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Rural ERs in Sask. An initial stage of a contingency plan to temporarily close a dozen rural health facilities in Saskatchewan in order to redeploy staff to a COVID-19 treatment centre has begun. Listed facilities, including Leader and Biggar, would see acute care and emergency services closed over four to six weeks. Staff would move to to other facilities around the province and as needed to a new separated facility at the Wascana Centre in Regina that would handle any upswing in coronavirus cases. The Saskatchewan Health Authority outlined the plan April 8. On Friday, six closures were reported in Kerrobert, Herbert, Broadview, Radville, Lanigan and Preeceville. Leader was not among initial facilities, but is included in the overall plan, along with Biggar, Davidson, Wosley, Arcola and Oxbow. Laboratory testing facilities in southwest Saskatchewan and throughout the province is also been limited for some time as the provincial health care system augments its operations. 13-12
