The current trend of COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan would seem to indicate the vaccines are working as the seven-day average of new cases has been on a steady decline for months. The remaining cases, according to data the province provided yesterday, seem to come mainly from the unvaccinated.

During a press conference, Premier Scott Moe and Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab that some partially and even some fully vaccinated people have still contracted the virus. The majority of cases, however, are in unvaccinated people. 

"In June, we had about 2000 positive COVID cases, just over 2000," Moe said. "Over 80 percent of those cases were in people that were unvaccinated. Fewer than two percent were people that were fully vaccinated. Under five percent of the hospitalizations were also people that were fully vaccinated."

Part of the promise of vaccines is that they not only make people more resistant to the virus but reduce severe outcomes. In Saskatchewan, the numbers so far would seem to back that assertion.

"There were no ICU admissions and no deaths in anyone that was fully vaccinated plus two weeks," said Moe. "Zero ICU cases, zero deaths among fully vaccinated people in June in Saskatchewan. The evidence that vaccines are working really couldn't be much (starker) than that."

Moe pointed out that older demographics, which have seen the most enthusiastic uptake of the vaccine, aren't experiencing as many severe outcomes now even though they are at the greatest risk of COVID. 

"Age is no longer the largest factor in determining your risk from COVID," he said. "Whether or not you're vaccinated is. If you're fully vaccinated, you are very, very well protected. If you're not vaccinated, you're at risk and it is an unnecessary risk I would certainly say." 

Certain age demographics seem to have taken to the vaccine more than others. While 50 percent of the province is now fully vaccinated, yesterday's update from the province showed just 57 percent of those 18-29 have received their first shot. 

"COVID-19 will continue to find those who are not vaccinated," said Dr. Shahab. "With vaccinations lagging in young people in certain parts of the province, we will continue to see cases and clusters."

Of the 53 reported cases of COVID-19 yesterday, 39 are in people under the age of 40.