Premier Scott Moe announced Wednesday morning that the province’s public health orders will be extended to Feb. 28. 

The current public health orders include:  

  • Mandatory masking in all indoor public spaces. 
  • Mandatory self-isolation for all positive COVID-19 cases and partially and non-vaccinated close contacts. 
  • Proof of vaccination or negative test requirements for access to a number of restaurants and bars, businesses and event venues. 

Proof of vaccination or negative test requirements can be implemented by municipalities, businesses and workplaces not listed in the public health order. All of the public health order requirements can be found here.

Proof of negative COVID-19 tests will only be accepted from private providers that can give you a negative test certificate that includes your name, birth date, type of test, date and time of the test, the test results and it is signed by the tester. You can find a list of private providers here.

No new public health orders were announced and there continues to be no limit on non-essential gatherings or lockdowns. 

Moe said lockdowns have proven to be ineffective in other provinces and it is something his government is not considering. 

“They are an infringement on rights and freedoms that we have come to enjoy and value as Canadians and that's why they should only be used if absolutely necessary and only if they can clearly be shown that they are being effective and they are working, and we're not seeing that as being the case today,” Moe said. 

As for public gatherings, Moe reiterated that they are not working in other jurisdictions and doubled down saying that it shouldn’t be up to the government or public health officials to limit gatherings. 

“Are they gathering? Yes. Are they taking precautions when they do gather? For the most part, I believe they are and observing ultimately that they are. Are they gathering as much? No, the same people that may come together from time to time are choosing to not come together at other times and this is what we want Saskatchewan people to do is to do your own personal risk assessment,” Moe said. 

Meanwhile, Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab recommended that people limit non-essential gatherings. 

“Well, I would say it could help, but again, I think the position has been that, a situation where it has to be enforced or is more voluntary or is a part of the public health order, but I am actually saying it's a bit more than that. I'm saying you don't need to even have 10 people in your house. Don't do that for the next two to four weeks,” Shahab said. 

The government will be reassessing the public health orders at the end of February.