SASKATOON -- Mayor Charlie Clark is encouraging Saskatoon residents to take precautions – but to stay engaged in the community – following a presumptive case of COVID-19 in the city.
"We want you still to go out and support local businesses, go out and be in the community and do it with care and precaution," Clark said Friday during an interview with CTV Morning Live anchor Stephanie Massicotte.
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"Wash your hands, cough into your sleeve and stay home if you're sick," Clark said. "Those very simple messages."
The Juno Awards, as well as several other community events, have been postponed or cancelled in the past 24 hours.
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Clark said the decision to cancel the high-profile awards show was not an easy one for organizers to arrive at but seemed increasingly necessary.
"Over the course of the week, I think the anxiety grew," Clark said.
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"I think it became pretty clear it would be very hard to defend the Junos carrying on in light of what was going on."
While news of COVID-19 in the province has created heightened awareness in the city, preparations have been underway for the past two months, Clark said.
"We're really making sure we're getting advice from experts and wanting to be really diligent about how we approach this," Clark said.
"I think it's important right now we don't just think about how we protect ourselves, but how do we make sure our neighbours are okay."
