What the arrival of the omicron variant means for Saskatchewan
CBC
The arrival of the COVID-19 omicron variant in Saskatchewan is a cause for concern but not a reason to panic, according to two experts.
Angie Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan, and Nazeem Muhajarine, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan, spoke with CBC News on Wednesday in 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 10 countries 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 there was never a question of if omicron would appear in Saskatchewan, but when.
Muhajarine said that since Nov. 27, Saskatchewan has been actively sending samples from those who have travelled to countries on Canada's travel restriction list to the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg
The province detecting these four cases is a sign that the process is working, he said.
The provincial government and the experts CBC News spoke with say that more omicron cases are expected and we need to prepare.
"Hopefully this will be the trigger that will get us talking about omicron and how to keep us safe," Muhajarine said.
Omicron is relatively 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.
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