Saskatchewan residents should soon be able to roll up their sleeves to get the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

Michael Fougere, CEO of the Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan, said he expects the province’s fall immunization program to roll out on Oct. 14. 

“You can go to your pharmacist and make a reservation for this any time now,” he said, adding those booking ahead will still have to wait until at least Oct. 14 to receive the vaccine.

Fougere said the immunization program will run until March 2026 and there will not be any kind of fees associated with receiving a COVID vaccine. 

“We’re pleased the province is fully supporting COVID through the season,” he said. “Other provinces are not doing that.”

Neighbouring Alberta is one of a few provinces that has announced it will be restricting the free COVID vaccine to specific groups considered to be high risk. Other Albertans will have to pay $100 to receive the shot as of Oct. 1. 

Joseph Blondeau, head of clinical microbiology at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, said he is just starting to see a spike in respiratory illness. 

“This is not atypical,” he said about the timing of the province’s immunization program being rolled out. 

“We certainly want to get those out before the respiratory season is fully here, and it’s not fully here yet,” said Blondeau.

He urged people to get vaccinated against both the flu and COVID. 

Blondeau said the virus that causes COVID-19 is still around and constantly changing. He said there is strong data around the vaccine that indicates it prevents severe disease and hospitalization in most patients. 

“None of us want to get severely infected and require hospitalization,” he said. 

In an email to CBC News Thursday, the province said it plans to announce the full details of the fall immunization program in the coming days. It emphasized the COVID-19 vaccine will not come with a charge, as it is part of the provincially funded immunization program. 

“Saskatchewan residents who have a valid Saskatchewan health card are eligible to receive a publicly funded COVID-19 vaccine,” a spokesperson said.