Premier Scott Moe and chief medical officer Dr. Saqib Shahab announced further restrictions on Friday, March 20 as six more cases of COVID-19 were announced, bringing the number up to 26.听
On Friday, Moe signed an order pursuant to the provincial state of emergency directing that all orders of government and chief medical health officer must be followed and that law enforcement agencies in Saskatchewan have the full authority to enforce the orders.听
鈥淭his means that the full weight of the law and the law enforcement agencies are being placed behind these orders,鈥� said Moe during the press conference. 鈥淭he vast majority of Saskatchewan people are taking their personal responsibility very seriously and they are following these orders, but there are a few who are not.鈥澨�
鈥淭his is not a suggestion, it鈥檚 not a guideline. It is now the law,鈥� he added.听
Further restrictions effective immediately include public gatherings of more than 25 people in one room are prohibited, the closure of all nightclubs, bars, lounges and similar facilities. Also, in-person classes in all primary and secondary educational institutions are suspended.听
Another addition to restrictions includes visiting to long-term care homes, hospitals, personal care homes and group homes 鈥� these visits are restricted to families visiting for compassionate reasons.听
Moe also said effective immediately, all persons who have travelled internationally will have to go into mandatory self isolation for 14 days from the date of arrival back into Canada.听
Healthcare workers who have travelled internationally, truckers, rail, airline or other working crews are exempt from the advisory only if they are required to work to maintain essential services, provide emergency health care services and maintain supply chain and are supervised by Infection, Prevention Control Officers and/or Occupational Health and Safety in the workplace.听
Effective March 23, restrictions include the closure of restaurants, food courts, cafeterias, cafes, bistros and similar facilities. Exceptions are take-out with two-metre distancing between customers during pick-up, drive-thru food services, delivery of food products, soup kitchens and not-for-profit community and religious kitchens with two-metre distancing between tables.听
Also included is the closure of all personal service facilities, dental, optometrist, chiropractic, registered massage therapy and podiatry clinics except for non-elective procedures.听
All daycare facilities are limited to a 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.听
鈥淭hese are measures that are necessary for us to flatten the curve of COVID-19. These are the measures that are necessary for us to reduce the risk to protect our families, to protect our neighbours and protect our friends,鈥� said Moe.听
鈥淭his doesn鈥檛 work if most of us do it, we all have to. We owe it to one another,鈥� he added.听
As of Friday, Saskatchewan is up to 26 cases of COVID-19, eight cases are confirmed and 18 cases are presumptive. To date, there has been 3,093 tests performed.
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