Don't call us, we'll call you: Sask. sheds light on vaccination plan for people aged 70-plus

Saskatchewan's premier took to social media Wednesday to provide more detail on how his government is reaching out to residents 70 and older who are eligible for a vaccine as part of its Phase 1 plan.

On Tuesday, Scott Moe and chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab were asked for details on the government's process for contacting those aged 70 and older to arrange vaccination.

Moe and Shahab deferred questions to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, which did not have a representative at Tuesday's news conference.

Moe said one issue with Phase 1 was the lack of vaccine supply.

On Wednesday, Moe made a post on his Facebook account, "we know several residents over 70 have questions about when they will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine."

Moe said once priority residents in long-term care and personal care homes are vaccinated, local health officials will set up immunization clinics for residents 70 and older.

The province said more than 80 per cent of those in long-term care and 75 per cent of those in personal care homes have received at least one dose.

"Individuals eligible for these clinics will be contacted by the Saskatchewan Health Authority through contact lists that are generated by eHealth based on Health Card data by age and location," Moe wrote.

"This data was recently verified in 2020 by eHealth during the health card renewal process. Using these lists, eligible individuals will be contacted by phone based on their age and locations, with the oldest residents in each region being contacted first."

Moe said the province is 15 per cent through Phase 1 of vaccine delivery, with 335,000 more doses left to be given.

"We expect Phase 1 to proceed well into April as we await scheduling and confirmation of the doses we will receive from the federal government."

Moe said those unsure of whether the province has their contact information could contact eHealth by visiting its website or phoning 1-800-667-7551.

The SHA said in a statement to CBC that a lack of vaccine supply has caused challenges.

"It's important to recognize that demand for vaccine is far outweighing our current available supply," the statement said.

Don't call us, we'll call you frustrating, says Regina senior

Steve Wolfson, who is 72 and lives in Regina, said he was disappointed with the lack of information available to this point.

"I find it frustrating that the main information is don't call us, we'll call you."

Wolfson said information on Phase 2, which will not start until April at the earliest, is easier to understand and find.

He said for residents in larger population centres like Regina and Saskatoon, the government should be updating how many people have been vaccinated, so those waiting know roughly how things are progressing.

"They should be able to tell us how they're going to handle Phase 1 in Regina. Have they gone through 50 per cent of the care homes and the first responders? I have no idea."

Wolfson said he realizes dates are tough to peg because of limited and unpredictable vaccine supply.

"I don't expect a hard date, but I expect a detailed plan. I want to know how it's going to be distributed and will it be done fairly," Wolfson said.

The first doses of vaccine for those 70 and older who are not part of a priority population were offered last month in a clinic setting to residents living independently in Wakaw, Cudworth and Rosthern. Appointments were based on who called and booked first.

The next day, the SHA advertised vaccination clinics in eight communities in the north central region, including Christopher Lake, Birch Hills and Shellbrook.

A similar process was offered in Prince Albert and was advertised on Jan. 18, but the province has not advertised clinics since then.

CBC asked both the Ministry of Health and the SHA how these communities were selected and why it is no longer advertising clinics publicly, but has not received responses.

Last month, SHA CEO Scott Livingstone said that when deciding where to send doses, considerations include handling of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has to be kept extremely cold is a consideration, and transmission in a community.

"One of the other big factors in the distribution is the attack rates or the current caseload in those areas of the province, which also have a high likelihood for us to be successful in … dealing with the most vulnerable," Livingstone said. 

Wolfson said he is hopeful the process will become more clear in the next few weeks, but that some of his peers have "given up trying to figure anything out."

He wants the government to ensure it is contacting those most at risk and not allowing anyone to jump ahead in the queue because they may be more technically savvy or with more means.

"I think they should be looking at a fair way to make sure that that isn't just the people who were playing the game the best that get the vaccine the soonest." 

Phase 1 by the numbers

Nearly 200,000 people are eligible for Phase 1 vaccinations:

• 80+ - 51,302.
• 79-75 - 32,474.
• 74-70 - 47,343.
• Residents 50 and older living in remote/Northern Saskatchewan communities - 8.921.
• Long-term care and personal care home residents and staff - 30,584.
• Health-care workers - between 10,000 and 15,000.

As of Wednesday, the province has administered 43,001 first doses of vaccine and 20,344 second doses, for a total of 63,345.

The government said 81 per cent of long-term care residents have received a first dose and 46 per cent of long-term care residents have now received a second dose.

It said 76 per cent of those in personal care homes have received their first dose and 24 per cent have received both doses.