Sask. NDP calls for 'tailgate vaccination clinics' at Riders games

Saskatoon -

Citing the slowing uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili is pitching the idea of "tailgate" vaccine clinics at Roughriders games.

“The Delta variant is more aggressive and resistant and has become the dominant strain in much of the world. It is more important than ever that the vaccine rollout be targeted, aggressive and effective," Meili said in a news release.

As of Wednesday, around 62 per cent of people in Saskatchewan have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose - the lowest percentage among provinces, according to federal government data.

Meili remained critical of the Sask. Party government's decision not to require proof of vaccination at Riders games or other large gatherings. 

"In the absence of that certainty for Rider fans, the government must at least ensure that everyone who attends a Rider game has the opportunity to be vaccinated with the introduction of “tailgate vaccination clinics” at Mosaic Stadium," Meili said.

In June, Premier Scott Moe said he believed asking for proof of vaccination "would be a potential violation of health information privacy."

The Manitoba government has said it will require proof of vaccinations for CFL games and other large events.

Meili also questioned the province's move to wind down its centralized COVID-19 vaccine appointment booking system in favour of other strategies to roll out doses and called on the government to focus on boosting vaccination rates in the north where numbers are lagging behind the rest of Saskatchewan.