Saskatchewan is rolling out COVID-19 booster vaccinations for immunocompromised people.
Starting Sept. 7, residents in long-term and personal care homes are eligible to receive the booster shot.
Vaccination boosters will only be administered to people eight weeks after receiving their second Pfizer or Moderna dose.
Also eligible for boosters are transplant recipients, recipients of stable, active treatments like chemotherapy and recipients of an anti-CD20 agent.
The Ministry of Health said letters will be sent to everyone eligible for a booster.
The province said the new booster is on top of additional vaccinations for residents who need those for international travel.
Sask. NDP Leader Ryan Meili said he welcomes news of the boosters.
However, he said nothing in Monday’s announcement will have an immediate impact in containing COVID’s fourth wave.
“A plan that does not emphasize testing, tracing and enforceable self-isolation for positive COVID-19 cases, vaccine mandates for all large public events, a plan for full vaccination of school and health care staff and appropriate indoor mask mandates, falls far short of what is needed to keep Saskatchewan people safe,” he said in a statement.
Saskatchewan is also requiring proof of vaccination for front-line health-care workers.
Those workers will be required to provide proof of vaccination, and if not fully vaccinated, will have to undergo regular COVID-19 testing.
The Ministry of Health and the Saskatchewan Health Authority said they are working with public health sector representation to establish the policy.
Health officials said more details on the policy will be announced in the coming days.