SASKATOON -- Giving the novel coronavirus enough oxygen will allow it to rise in the population again, an expert says.

“Yes, we’ve got vaccines that are coming down the road but that doesn’t necessarily help us here and now,” said Jason Kindrachuk, a virologist at the University of Manitoba.

He made the remarks after Saskatchewan eased gathering restrictions on Tuesday, allowing for a private gathering bubble of up to 10 people inside a household.

The province also reported the first COVID-19 death of a person under 20.

The week of Feb. 8-14 had 282 COVID-19 cases and the week of Feb. 22-28, there were 434 cases.

“Again cases like this should serve as a reminder for us that all of us are potentially susceptible to this disease,” Kindrachuk said.

Chief Medical Health Office Dr. Shahab also addressed the death at a news conference.

“And that’s why it’s very important for all of us 18 and older to already have in our mind that as soon as the vaccine becomes available, we’re going to get vaccinated.”

COVID-19 cases in children and youth have risen 53 per cent in the last couple weeks of February, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

24-year-old Kendra Adam says she won’t be meeting up with her friends until there’s vaccines and her circle is more comfortable as “COVID still exists.”

“I just feel like it’s a lot safer. When I do hangout it is six feet apart, there are masks but I think that with the vaccine I would feel a lot safer taking the mask off.”