PRINCE ALBERT -- Visitors to Saskatchewan are being incorporated into the province’s COVID-19 sequencing plan.
According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, temporary foreign workers and people with visitor or student visas will be eligible to get a vaccination against COVID-19.
Aireen Salandanan’s 64-year-old mother is in Canada from the Philippines on a temporary visitors’ visa. She arrived before the pandemic began and would like to get the vaccine. She was hoping the province would make her turn come sooner.
“People who on a visit will be on the last priority but I hope government will change the plan because they are as exposed to the citizens or permanent residents as themselves, especially those already in their senior years,” said Salandanan.
Visitors to the province for two weeks or longer may present to a Saskatchewan Public Health immunization provider and receive the COVID-19 vaccine, according to health ministry.
According to the Ministry of Health adults and children who are Canadian residents will come first in its vaccination sequence and are prioritized by their age.
Non-Canadian adults and children who are landed immigrants or refugees are next in line.
Coming last in the sequence, non-Canadian residents and their children who are working and/or studying in Canada for any length of time.
Eric Su is in Saskatchewan on a work permit. He says it’s a fair system.
“So I think Canadians first is fair enough,” said Su.
However, Su thinks seniors and children should get vaccinated sooner regardless of where they come from because they are mingling with the rest of the population.
“Not only Canadians but also newcomers and immigrants, (the kids) need to get vaccinated as same priority,” said Su.
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health says non-Canadian residents and visitors who wish to receive the vaccine and don’t fall into any one category will be assessED on a case-by-case basis prior to receiving publicly-funded immunization services.
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