Saskatchewan’s premier says he’s expecting the public health orders put in place last week will help curb the spread of the coronavirus in the province and hopes they can be loosened closer to Christmas to allow people to see family.
“In order for that to happen, people need to adhere to the measures that are in place,” Scott Moe said Tuesday.
The chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, is currently reviewing the prospects, Moe said, and will provide advice upon which the government will act on Dec. 17, when the current restrictions are subject to review.
“It’s most certainly the hope that we would be able to look at some type of relaxation,” said the premier, noting, “it may not happen.
“We’ve been through nine, 10 long months in this province, across the nation and around the world, and we do need some opportunities to look forward to.”
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Official Opposition Leader Ryan Meili slammed the premier for providing false hope, pointing to recent modelling indicating the coronavirus caseload in Saskatchewan will remain high.
“We know that the numbers aren’t going to come down,” Meili said.
“This sort of dangling promises of potential improvements without actually taking the actions to achieve those improvements is dishonest.”
There have been 8,745 coronavirus cases reported in the province since March, and on Tuesday, 3,819 were considered active. The seven-day average of daily cases was 264.
Moe noted there could be opportunity to see “a loved one in a long-term care centre once or twice” with proper personal protective equipment.
He also pointed to Quebec’s controversial decision to green-light two gatherings during a four-day period from Dec. 24 to 27 so long as people voluntarily quarantined the week before and after — although that province’s premier said Tuesday that Quebec’s numbers do not appear to be going in the right direction for that to happen.
Both Moe and Meili said they are planning not to see family over the holiday season.
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