What the arrival of the omicron variant means for Saskatchewan

The arrival of the COVID-19 omicron variant in Saskatchewan is a cause for concern but not a reason to panic, according to twoexperts.

Angie Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan, andNazeem Muhajarine,a professor of epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan, spoke with CBC News on Wednesdayin the wake of the variant of concern being confirmed in the province.

All four omicron cases are from a single household with a travel history involving one of the 10countries on Canada's COVID-19 travel restriction list.

The arrival of omicron isn't a surprise to those who have been paying attention. Saskatchewan is the fifth province to confirm cases of the variant.

Both experts said therewas never a question of if omicron would appear in Saskatchewan, but when.

Muhajarine said that since Nov. 27, Saskatchewanhas been actively sending samples from those who have travelled to countries on Canada's travel restriction listto the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg

The province detectingthese four cases is a sign that the process is working, he said.

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Dr. Samir Gupta, Respirologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, discusses data from South Africa on the omicron variant and the efficacy of existing vaccines against it, Pfizer's study showing that those with booster shots are better able to neutralize the omicron variant, and Pfizer's comments on working towards a vaccine for omicron by March.

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Dr. Samir Gupta, Respirologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto, discusses data from South Africa on the omicron variant and the efficacy of existing vaccines against it, Pfizer's study showing that those with booster shots are better able to neutralize the omicron variant, and Pfizer's comments on working towards a vaccine for omicron by March.

The provincial government and the experts CBC News spoke with say that more omicron cases are expected and we need to prepare.

"Hopefullythis will be the trigger that will get us talking about omicronand how to keep us safe,"Muhajarine said.

'Take precautions'

Omicron isrelatively new and scientists are still learning more about it every day.

The experts that spoke with CBC News say this doesn't mean residents of Saskatchewan should panic.

"New variants can certainly be very scary, I think for a lot of people, because the tendency, including of some experts, is to say either this is no big deal or this is an absolute catastrophe and everything is going completely sideways," said Rasmussen.

"I don't think either of those responses are very constructive. I think that we should assume that this is bad and we should continue to take precautions."

The tools that Saskatchewan has used to beat back other variants will still work against omicron, Muhajarine said.

That means getting fully vaccinated and getting a thirdbooster dose as soon as possible.

The province recently expanded the eligibility for booster dosesto those 50 and older, anyone 18 and older in the north or in First Nations communities, and all health-care workers.

Muhajarine said you should make sure to wear a good, medical grade mask such an N95, and avoid large gatherings if possible.

Muhajarineis callingon the provincial government to implement further restrictions as Saskatchewan heads into the winter and the holiday season.

"We have to make sure that we have gathering limits to keep people from ...picking up omicron," Muhajarine said.

"We have to make sure that people are not mixing,people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated, people mixing indoors."

Saskatchewan is coming off the deadliest waveof the pandemic in the province, fuelled by the emergence ofthe delta variant.

Rates of hospitalizations, ICU admissions and COVID-19 deaths have dropped since the peak of the fourth wave, but are still beingmonitored.

Rasmussen saidit's not yet clear whether the omicron variant is set to become the dominate strain in Saskatchewan likedelta did during the fourth wave.

"I think a lot of what happens in Saskatchewan moving forward is going to be not only based on omicron'sability to get around vaccine induced-immunity or infection induced-immunity, especially in people who have not had a booster dose orwho have not been vaccinated after infection It's going to really have a lot to do with its ability to displace delta in this population," she said.

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COVID-19: When could omicron become dominant in Canada?

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Andrew Chang talks to infectious diseases specialists Dr. Susy Hota and Dr. Lisa Barrett about when the omicron variant may become dominant in Canada, whether it appears milder than delta and if people should change their holiday plans.

Muhajarine said the province should have been talking about how to deal with omicron before it arrived, but that now is as good a time as any.

He's calling on the Saskatchewan government to be proactive in its approach, rather than responsive.

"I think we have to try to get ahead of this. Saskatchewan really has to reckon with this very, you know, threatening and concerning variant," he said.