The Government of Saskatchewan has reduced the length of quarantine for people who test positive for COVID-19 to 10 days, down from 14, effective immediately.

Provincial Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab says there is evidence showing that most COVID-19 positive people are not infectious 10 days after their diagnosis.

“This allows people who are COVID-19 positive to return to their daily activities sooner if they’re healthy,” said Shahab.

Exceptions are in place for people who have traveled internationally, or who are deemed close contacts. They must still self-isolate for 14 days.

With 238 new cases of COVID-19 announced in the province Thursday, Shahab says case numbers are starting to plateau, adding hospitalization numbers are slowly decreasing, and community transmission seems to be slowing down.

He adds we need to keep up the good work, even though it may be tough during Christmas.

“All of us have been making some minor changes to how we shop, how we go out, obviously not interacting with others outside of our household in our own houses,” said Shahab. “That’s going to be so important over the holidays to continue doing what we’re doing so that we can see low case numbers throughout the holiday season and look forward to January.”