SASKATOON -- The province and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) say decisions being made about reopening Saskatchewan are based on several points of data.
One of them is the Effective Reproductive Number (ERN). It shows the average amount of people one person with the novel coronavirus is likely to infect factoring in interventions.
An ERN of 1.0 means one person is likely to infect one other person with the virus. As of April 25, the ERN was 0.7. The SHA says by May 2, it had climbed to 0.97.
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The SHA says an ERN of 1.0 or less means the virus is being effectively managed. However, the number can be skewed with a high number of cases in a local area.
Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab said Tuesday the rise in the ERN is mostly because of the spread in La Loche. The ERN is well below 1.0 in the rest of the province, he said.
Shahab said they also look at where the cases are coming from, whether they can identify the exposure setting, trace contacts and get people to self-isolate.
"If we look at the reproductive rate and if we look at the new cases throughout Saskatchewan the rest of Saskatchewan continues to see very few new cases.”
Premier Scott Moe said the reopen plan has been paused in Lloydminster and La Loche because of the number of recent cases.
"We have been very much identifying with what is happening on the ground and reacting very quickly to that."
Each province is taking a slightly different approach to reopening.
In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford announced retail stores with a street entrance will be allowed to open for curbside pick-up.
Manitoba’s reopen plan began Monday for hair salons, malls and dentists, but there are strict guidelines.
Manitoba also has fewer cases than Saskatchewan.
