Regina Mayor open to further COVID-19 restrictions

Variants of Concern in Regina WATCH: 90 per cent of Saskatchewan’s confirmed COVID-19 variant cases are in Regina. Marc Smith has an update from the province.

REGINA — The Mayor of Regina said she is open to all possibilities when it comes to further measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the city.

In a press conference of Tuesday afternoon, Regina Mayor Sandra Masters said she and the City's Public Health Officer have been in talks with the province and will follow its recommendations. Masters said the City was advised to offer messaging about how to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Wear a mask when you're at work, wear a mask when you are carpooling to work, wear a mask when you're in the presence of individuals outside of your household bubble," Masters said.

On Tuesday, Saskatchewan reported 156 new cases of COVID-19 with 101 of those cases in Regina. Many of the positive cases of COVID-19 in Regina are a variant of concern.

"If you will be in contact with someone who was 50 years of age or older, do not participate in gatherings outside of your immediate household regardless of what has been announced," Masters said.

Masters was asked whether she would like Regina to go into a lockdown situation and she said there is a concern because she doesn't have the data showing where the transmissions are happening. She also said the City isn't able to fully put Regina into a lockdown situation if it felt it should.

"We have jurisdiction over some things but we don't have jurisdiction over others," Masters said. "For example, if schools are going to shut down, that is not up to the City to tell them to do that. Council and myself will be discussing this tomorrow again, post the provincial announcements."

Masters said 83 per cent of the City's workforce is still working remotely. She encouraging other workplaces to send staff home if that is a possibility.

"Many of our outbreaks are a result of people going to work with going into public places and household gathering while symptomatic," Masters said.