If you’ve been hoping to get back on the baseball diamond or football field, the progress of Saskatchewan’s vaccine rollout has been good to see. Based on today’s release, the rollout is going so well that you could be back to outdoor sports sooner than you thought.
The Saskatchewan Government announced today they were adding outdoor sports to step one of their reopening roadmap. This means both practices and games will be allowed for outdoor sports starting on Sunday, May 30.
“Saskatchewan people have reduced the spread of COVID-19 by getting vaccinated,” Premier Scott Moe said. “So, the next time you drive by a field of happy kids playing softball or football or soccer, please know that you made that possible. Saskatchewan people are putting those kids back on to the field by doing their part, by rolling up their sleeves and sticking it to COVID.”
Originally, the plan was to ease restrictions on sports in step two of the reopening, and for indoor sports that is still the case. Outdoor teams are not allowed to travel out of province, and need to adhere to public health orders for outdoor gatherings, while commonly touched equipment (the game ball, for example) should be disinfected regularly. Other equipment, like bats, protective gear, or water bottles, should not be shared.
In addition, there should be no handshakes after games, and high-fives or other celebrations won’t be allowed either. Parents, spectators, and coaches are not required to masks while outdoors, however.
The guidelines for the province’s reopening plan are based on vaccination goals. Step one begins on Sunday, as that marks three weeks after 70 percent of the population over the age of 40 has received their first dose. The next phase, which will include easing restrictions on indoor sports, will begin on June 20 as that falls three weeks after the first step.
Step three, which will see almost all restrictions removed, comes at least three weeks after step two, assuming 70 percent of the adult population has received their first dose. As of yesterday, 70 percent of the population over 30 has received their first dose, while 63 percent of those over 18 have received their first dose.
