Saskatchewan’s “Stick It To COVID” campaign entreats residents to go out and get the vaccine as soon as possible. While the SHA has made efforts to equitably distribute the available vaccines throughout the province, the transient nature of rural clinics can be a source of confusion for rural vaccine seekers.

Like “pop-up” boutique shops in a craft mall, clinics in rural Saskatchewan appear and disappear with regularity, leaving some prospective online registrants confused and frustrated. 

After having heard that Humboldt’s vaccination clinic, located at St. Augustine Parish Hall, was accepting bookings for those 60 years of age and older, Colette Hauser of Middle Lake took to the SHA website to book her husband’s visit. She discovered that the pinpoint on the booking map for the Humboldt location had vanished. Instead, she was left with choices such as Wynyard and Lanigan at which she could book.

A few days later, other local residents indicated the Humboldt booking availability had returned, only to inexplicably vanish 48 hours later. In fact, the Lanigan location had also vanished while Cudworth had been added. The seemingly random nature of the drifting vaccine sites led some to instead try booking using the SASK-VAX phone line. 

Discover Humboldt contacted the media centre at the Saskatchewan Health Authority, but that call has yet to be returned.

When asked to secure a vaccine booking, a call centre operator at the SASK-VAX line indicated that Humboldt was not currently showing up on the map and therefore was not taking any bookings for an undefined time. The agent indicated the reason was most likely a lack of vaccines in the location and that arrangements for booking in another centre that shows up on the SHA’s interactive map was possible.

As of Tuesday, April 6 in the morning, there is a sizable gap in east-central Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 vaccine availability. Closest vaccination centres to Humboldt are Melfort in the north, Wynyard and Wadena in the east, and Raymore in the south.

Until the arrival of additional vaccines promised through the federal government's distribution program, area residents will have little choice but to drive to one of the available rural centres or pit in for the up to four hour wait in the drive-thru queue in Saskatoon.