Province unveils stricter measures to fight COVID-19

The provincial government brought in new measures on Friday to help prevent the spread of COVID -19 in Saskatchewan:

Effective immediately all persons that have travelled internationally must go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from date of arrival back into Canada. Health care workers, truckers, rail, airline employees are exempt only if they are required to work to maintain essential services, provide emergency health care services or maintain supply chain.

Public gatherings of more than 25 people in one room are prohibited except where two metre social distancing can be maintained.

Nightclubs, bars, lounges and similar facilities will close. Takeout alcohol and food services are allowed if social distancing is observed.

All in-person classes are suspended.

Visitation to long-term care homes, hospitals, personal care homes, and group homes is restricted to family visiting for compassionate reasons.

All persons who have been identified by as a close contact of a person or persons with COVID-19 shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from the date of last having been exposed to it.

All persons who have become symptomatic while on mandatory self-isolation shall call Healthline 811 and follow instructions. All persons who are household members of a person having laboratory-confirmed COVID -19 shall immediately go into mandatory self-isolation, call Healthline 811 and follow Healthline’s directives.

Effective March 23, 2020 restaurants, food courts, cafeterias, cafés, bistros and similar facilities will close. Exceptions are in place for takeout and pickup so long as a two metre distancing between customers is possible. This applies to drive-thrus, delivery of food products, soup kitchens, not-for-profit community and religious kitchens.

All fitness centres, casinos, bingo halls, arenas, curling rinks, swimming pools, galleries, theatres, museums and similar facilities will close. So too will tattooists, hairdressers, barbers, acupuncturists, acupressurists, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, manicurists, pedicurists, suntanning parlours, relaxation masseuses, facilities in which body piercing, bone grafting or scarification services.

Dental, optometrist, chiropractic, registered massage therapy and podiatry clinics will close except for non-elective procedures.

All daycare facilities are limited to maximum of eight children unless they can configure the facility so that a maximum of eight children are kept in room and be in accordance with the Saskatchewan child care guidelines for care.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is closing in-hospital lab collection sites.