The Saskatchewan Health Authority is battening down the hatches and doing what it can to prevent what some are calling a possible "twindemic" of flu and COVID this fall.

Both provincially and federally, reports tell of extra flu vaccines being stockpiled for a surge in vaccinations that are not only expected but encouraged.

Doctor Tania Diener is the medical director for immunization and health. She looks at the seasonal battle against the flu as just another front in the war against COVID and encourages everyone to get the flu vaccine in order to indirectly fight the coronavirus.

It all has to do with the same words that residents have heard nearly daily for the last few months.

Surge Capacity. Flattening the Curve.

In the simplest possible terms, the fewer people who are in the hospital for particularly bad cases of the flu, the more capacity is reserved for a possible second wave of COVID-19.

"So by keeping our healthcare facilities available should we see an increase of COVID cases by immunizing people against influenza, that will really go a long way. So we really see influenza immunization this year as part of our COVID strategy."

She wouldn't speak to specifics of the immunization strategy just yet, however, as each health region in the province will have different strategies and different rules. Those strategies, she says, should be in place by the general start date of October 19, and include measures for social distancing, staggered wait times and potentially larger venues to allow for more space between patients.

"Iif you do have symptoms of influenza or COVID-19 because they're so similar, we really do not want you to attend one of these immunization clinics. That's the time when you should phone 811 and get an assessment and get tested if appropriate," She stressed.

"However, if you do come to our clinics, we will make sure that social distancing is in place, masking is in place. People need to wait for 15 minutes afterward, so even during that period of time, we need to make sure that people are safe. So I really want to ensure people when they come to our clinics in public health throughout the province that we will ensure that social distancing is in place and that people mask appropriately."

She added that because of the need to keep that surge capacity protected, it's encouraged that the most vulnerable people: elderly, children, pregnant women and health compromised are vaccinated this year.