Several businesses in Saskatchewan's north have again lit their Open signs, as Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's Reopen Plan progresses, unhindered by outbreaks in the Far North community of La Loche (May 9), and more recently in the urban centre of Saskatoon (May 27).

Premier Moe initiated the five-phase Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan on May 04, 2020, though most provisions for non-essential retail were withheld until May 19 when 'Re-Open Retail' was triggered.

"There will always be some risk" says Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, during a provincial press conference from Regina on May 20.  "We have to balance that risk and gradually open the economy, in a controlled and intelligent way" 

The later outbreak, which triggered the contact tracing of some 60-persons around Saskatoon, we now know to be the result of family gatherings that were attended by more than ten persons -- the maximum allowed under the current Public Health Order. 

In La Ronge, Penny's Hair Design was able to open fairly quickly using a blend of medical and non-medical hand-made masks, and by utilizing 'sectioning' of their hair dresser's stations by opaque plastic that hangs from the roof. Business has been solid, says owner Penny Schooley -- in between working on a cut and dye - in her busy studio. 

In the nearby Village of Air Ronge Kevin Jackson's Registered Massage Therapy business was not able to open as quickly, as the larger Massage Association requires medical grade personal protection equipment (PPE). "I put in requests to the same supplier as a lot of the hospitals and major health players in the region.. so I'm stuck waiting" Jackson told MBC prior to his re-opening in late May. 

Schaan Healthcare Products (of Saskatoon) fulfills both Jackson's order, and those of hospitals, nursing homes and personal care homes in Saskatchewan for 39-years. Its position as a PPE distributor to both public and private markets means business owners like Jackson have found themselves at odds with Public Health when it comes to the PPE they need to re-open, particularly when they operate within the health domain and have regulators. 

As recently as May 22 the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority, which oversees all four major First Nations Entities: Prince Albert Grant Council, Meadow Lake Tribal Council, Peter Balantyne Cree Nation, and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, were reporting persistent difficulties in securing PPE, most notably N-95 masks, but also surgical masks like those Jackson relies on in his business. 

Phase Three of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan is targeted for June 8, 2020; the fourth and fifth phases are conditional and have no set date.