The system for people to book their own COVID-19 vaccines is opening tomorrow, and will be starting with the province’s eldest seniors.

Saskatchewan’s booking website will open at 8 AM on March 11th and start booking appointments for people 85 years old and up.

The site is on both desktop and mobile, and residents should have their health card ready, along with a cell phone number or email that the SHA can send notifications to when signing up.

All data sent online to the SHA will be stored safely on Canadian data servers.

Alternatively, though, people will have the option to call in if they’re not comfortable with or don’t have the technology to set it up online. The call centre will be open from 8 AM to 11 PM every day and residents can dial 1-833-SASK-VAX to speak to a representative.

This call centre will be booking appointments on the same timetable listed on the website. Family and friends who aren’t yet eligible can book on behalf of someone who is eligible, the SHA notes.

 Health Minister Paul Merriman says this process will be simple and quick to book, and in turn, will make it more efficient for them to get the vaccine to more people. 

SHA CEO Scott Livingstone adds that this system is something they could use in the future, post-pandemic, to create more seamless access to medical services for Saskatchewan residents.

Due to vaccine supply, the site will be booking first doses only and not all locations for Phase Two will be ready yet, and some places may have fewer availabilities.

Phone calls for vaccine availability to be phased out, people told not to try to “jump the queue.”

The Province and SHA also announced they will be phasing out the SHA directly calling residents to let them know a vaccine appointment is available for them. Instead, when a new age group is ready to be vaccinated, it will be listed on the booking site.

The SHA says it’s critical that people not try to book an appointment, especially over the phone, if they’re not eligible so that they don’t put a strain on systems set up for vaccination. This could cause eligible people to have to wait longer to get vaccinated.

The website is also set up to verify a person’s eligibility when they sign up, and if they are not at the time, they’ll be asked to return when they are. Identification will be needed when someone gets to their shot, to make sure it’s the same person.

Anyone caught trying to use false information to “jump the queue” will face a penalty, perhaps even criminal investigation, the Government notes.