The Saskatchewan government announced on Tuesday that the province’s current public health order will remain in effect until February 19. Restrictions were set to expire on January 29.
This includes:
- Private, indoor gatherings remain limited to immediate household members only.
- People may meet and greet outdoors with up to 10 people only, provided physical distancing between households can be maintained.
- The public health orders for licensed establishments; sports, fitness and dance; places of worship; and mandatory masking remain in place.
- All non-essential interprovincial travel is discouraged.
Premier Scott Moe announced the decision on Tuesday which he said is based on a gradual decline of active cases which is down to 2,665 – the lowest level since November 1 in the province.
“This gradual decline means that our current public health orders that are in place and the restrictions that we have are working, but we need to leave them in place for a while longer,” explained the premier.
A statement by the government said that public health officials will continue to monitor COVID-19 transmission trends throughout this period.
Businesses are also being warned there will be stronger enforcement of the public health order moving forward.
Three Saskatchewan businesses were ticketed $14,000 each for not abiding by COVID-19 restrictions. Tickets were issued on Tuesday to Crackers and the Crazy Cactus, two establishments in Saskatoon, and Stats Cocktails and Dreams in Regina.
“What we really need and what we really desire is compliance for everyone to follow all the public health orders and guidelines that are in place,” stated Moe. “That is how we will continue to reduce our case numbers so that hopefully in three weeks from now we can start to look at easing some of the restrictions that are in place.”
Tuesday’s government release noted that public health inspectors will be supported in their efforts to ticket violators quickly, to ensure that businesses and events are brought into compliance as quickly as possible in addition to the enforcement efforts that have been undertaken by police agencies throughout the province.
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