Coronavirus: Saskatchewan Science Centre closes

UPDATE: As of Tuesday, March 17, the Royal Saskatchewan Museum is closed until further notice.

As of Saturday, the Saskatchewan Science Centre and the Kramer IMAX Theatre will be closed to the public in an effort to avoid the spread of novel coronavirus, said the facility in a statement.

“We are a science centre and believe in evidence-based decision making. It is clear that the COVID-19 virus is highly contagious, and we believe that a temporary closure will help the community with the social distancing that is necessary to slow the spread of the virus at this stage,” says Sandy Baumgartner, CEO of the Saskatchewan Science Centre in a statement.

“We apologize for the disruption and inconvenience that this will cause but believe that these actions will help to flatten the curve on the spread of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan.”

No cases of COVID-19 have been associated with the Saskatchewan Science Centre.

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All programs, events, IMAX theatre films, retail services and Go! Science and Go! Code outreach teams have been cancelled.

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“The health, safety, and well-being of our employees, and visitors is our top priority and we are following the lead of Saskatchewan and Canadian public health authorities,” said SSC Board Chair Richmond Graham in a statement.

“We greatly appreciate the understanding of our members and the general public during this unprecedented closure.”

Royal Saskatchewan Museum remains open, but Paleo-Pit closed

The Royal Saskatchewan Museum remains open to the public, but the museum has enacted measures to avoid the spread of novel coronavirus.

The museum has increased and enhanced cleaning at the museum and has removed shared binoculars and ear protectors.

Additional cleansing gel stations have been added, and staff are now using their own separate washrooms.

The Paleo-Pit play place has been temporarily closed.

The museum is asking those who are sick to remain home. They also ask the public to practice social distancing measures and to minimize their contact with railings and gallery elements.

Concerned about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials say the risk is very low for Canadians.

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.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. And if you get sick, stay at home.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.