The province is updating its COVID-19 guidance for schools.

In a release on Friday morning. the government recommends children under 12 as well as unvaccinated teachers and support staff wear masks in common space like hallways and lunchrooms, but mask use is not mandatory.

For outdoor activities such as recess or outdoor gym classes, there is no recommendation for students to mask.

Once vaccines are approved and widely available to children under the age of 12, recommendations regarding masking and other measures in schools will be revisited to factor in increased immunity within the student population.

When cases are identified in schools, schools and school divisions will continue to be notified by public health officials in order to inform students and parents. Contact tracing will continue to occur, and unvaccinated close contacts may be directed to self-isolate as deemed appropriate by public health.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority will also offer school-based vaccination clinics similar to those offered at the end of the last school year.

As an additional measure to increase the reach of vaccinations, any child turning 12 in the current year are immediately eligible for  vaccination. This means those born in 2009 can now be vaccinated, regardless of their birth date, at any COVID-19 vaccination site, including pop-up clinics, participating pharmacies, or school-based vaccination clinics.