Editor’s note: This story will be updated to include new information about clinic locations and hours as it becomes available.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is planning to open COVID-19 drive-thru vaccination sites in nine different communities across the province starting this weekend after about 55,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses were scheduled to be delivered earlier than expected.
More than 45,000 doses are being delivered to Saskatchewan on Thursday from the United States. The remaining doses are scheduled to arrive between Thursday and April 7.
The drive-thru and walk-in clinics will be opening in communities including Regina, Saskatoon, Yorkton, Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Swift Current, Prince Albert, Lloydminster and North Battleford.
The clinics will be available to residents 55 and older and doses will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
“If you’re 55 and older, this is a great option to get your vaccine right away,” Minister of Health Paul Merriman said during Thursday’s press conference.
He added individuals who have already made an appointment for a vaccine can use the walk-in or drive-thru clinics instead, but asked that they make sure to cancel their appointment to free up room for others.
Merriman also thanked the thousands of health-care workers and support staff who will be working through Easter long weekend at clinics across the province helping administer vaccines.
The SHA said clinics in some locations will be open as early as this weekend. Exact hours and clinic locations will be announced to the public the day before each clinic goes live.
The targeted opening date, location and hours for each clinic is as follows:
Regina
Drive-thru
Dates and hours: April 3, April 4, and April 5 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and starting April 6 open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 11 p.m
Location: Evraz Place on the Regina Exhibition Grounds, access to the drive-thru is from the Lewvan Drive and 11th Avenue entrance (northbound traffic from the south only).
Saskatoon
Prairieland – April 5 (drive-thru)
Swift Current
Walk-in clinic
Dates and hours: April 2, April 5, April 6, 8:30 a.m to 4:00 p.m.
Location: 6-1061 Central Ave North (walk-in clinic)
Drive-thru clinic
Dates and hours: April 3, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: 801 Cheadle St W (Access to the drive-thru is from the Cheadle St. W entrance.)
Note: Due to anticipated high winds, the Swift Current drive-thru clinic will move to a walk-in clinic on April 4 and relocate to 6-1061 Central Avenue N
Weyburn
Walk-in clinic
Dates and hours: April 3 and April 4, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: 410 Prairie Avenue (Weyburn Curling Rink)
Drive-thru clinic
Dates and hours: April 6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: 1560 New City Garden Road (former Ebel’s Contracting and Supply building)
Yorkton
April 6 (drive-thru)
Moose Jaw
April 7 (walk-in clinic) and April 9 (drive-thru)
Prince Albert
April 4 (drive-thru)
Dates and hours: April 3 through April 7 Time: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Thorpe Industries Warehouse, 1 Pine Street, Located East of the Provincial Forest Fire Control Center- North of Prince Albert on Highway 2. Direction signs are posted. No public washrooms on site.
Lloydminster
April 4 (drive-thru)
North Battleford
April 3 through April 7, Cat Finning building near Highway 16 (drive-thru), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.