The Saskatchewan NDP are calling on the government to adopt a “Last Mile” strategy to ensure all Saskatchewan residents have access to a COVID-19 vaccine.

The opposition points to an Angus Reid poll showing Saskatchewan has the highest vaccine hesitancy in the country, and claims that demand is plateauing.

NDP Leader Ryan Meili says more needs to be done to encourage everyone in the province to get their shot.

“There’s work to do, work to do to ensure we reach the herd immunity we need so that we can enjoy a summer and fall with all that our province has to offer,” said Meili. “We need to make sure that this vaccine effort is as successful as possible at getting as many people vaccinated as possible and put this pandemic behind us.”

The strategy being proposed would include the government reaching out to resident who haven’t received their vaccine yet, and working with them to make a vaccine plan by answering questions about the safety and efficacy of each vaccine.

Meili says the key to the strategy would be to let experts lead the way instead of the government.

“These measures would go a long way to ensuring that everyone in Saskatchewan who wants a vaccine, everyone in our province who can possibly be persuaded to get one, to take this life saving step, can do so,” said Meili. “And that’s what we all want, to move past this pandemic finally and build a better province for everyone. We do that by making it past this last mile.”

When asked how this strategy would address conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and the vaccine, Meili said they’re always going to be there.

“There’s some folks who will be drawn to that sort of thing, and there always has been, especially with the level of heightened tension right now, that’s going to be spreading much more than it should,” said Meili. “The only way to counter it, is to really be getting out there with good information from trusted sources.”

Meili says this strategy ensures the province can get back to normal quicker and more safely.