Coronavirus: Saskatchewan aiming to receive 180K COVID-19 vaccines in first quarter 2021 | FULL

Saskatchewan's Health Minister Paul Merriman and Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab provided update on the COVID-19 pandemic in the province on Thursday, where the health minister said once the Canadian federal government distributes its initial batch of COVID-19 vaccines, expected to be released in the first quarter of 2021, the province will be receiving 180,000 of the nation's 6 million vaccine doses.

"The vaccine pipeline will be, is getting more and more clear. We already know that there may be vaccine available, a limited amount available starting January, February. But then, the vaccine pipeline will continue throughout next year, throughout 2021," said Shahab.

On average, a person infected with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan has an average of 11 close contacts, said Merriman.

"With a higher number of cases being reported each day, contact tracing is becoming challenging," said Merriman.

The province's top doctor also provided modelling data during the update.

Saskatchewan became the second prairie province on Thursday to implement a mask mandate province-wide, following in the same steps as Manitoba.

Masks are now required in all indoor public places across Saskatchewan.

The new measures come as the province tries to tame the spread of COVID-19 as hospitalizations have reached new highs almost daily throughout November.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/7471337/mask-mandate-saskatchewan-province-wide/

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