The provincial government announced on Wednesday that Saskatchewan’s booking system for COVID-19 vaccine appointments will launch on Thursday morning.
Starting at 8:00 a.m. on March 11, residents 85 years of age and over in the province can either go online or call in to make an appointment.
“Booking your appointment online will only take a few minutes, making things simple and fast for those who are scheduling their appointments,” stated Health Minister Paul Merriman on Wednesday.
In order to better align with the demand for vaccine supply, the Saskatchewan Health Authority is asking only people from the targeted group of 85 and older to contact them for booking. The SHA will announce further age groups eligible to book their appointments based on supply. The government says family and friends who are not yet eligible for the vaccine can book on behalf of someone who is eligible.
While it’s a step forward in the province’s efforts to vaccinate residents, the government is urging the public to not call the phone line or attempt to book if their age group has not yet been named for vaccine appointments or for reasons other than booking an appointment for an eligible recipient.
“Doing so will unnecessarily stress critical infrastructure needed for these services and could result in delays getting eligible recipients immunized,” explained the government in a release on Wednesday.
Merriman asked residents to be patient as the government waits for more vaccines to arrive to the province, which will then open the booking system to more age groups.
“Make an appointment when it’s your turn because when you do, you’re not doing this just for your own shot – you’re doing this to help get life back to normal,” added the health minister.
Derek Miller, executive director of infrastructure management for the SHA, admitted that one of the biggest questions from people is when it will be their turn to book a time. He said the government will be reaching out through public advisories every time the eligible list for age groups expands.
“That information will also be shared in the daily COVID-19 news releases provided by the government and shared through social media channels,” mentioned Miller. “You can also visit the government website to check what the current age group is.”
The online and phone systems are designed to verify a person’s eligibility as their appointment is booked. Identification will be required upon arrival of appointments to ensure vaccination of the same person who was registered online. The government adds that any instances of providing false information in an attempt to ‘jump the queue’ will be taken seriously and may result in a criminal investigation.
Booking is available for first doses only at this time. When booking an appointment using the online system, residents will need to have a valid health card and a cell phone number or email address to receive notifications.
People can visit the SHA’s online system here to book an appointment online. The website, which is mobile friendly, will show which age category is currently eligible for appointments. To book by phone, residents can call 1-833-SASK-VAX (1-833-727-5829) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week.
