N.L. emergency services scramble to cover Omicron-related worker shortages

Newfoundland and Labrador emergency workers and volunteers are scrambling to pick up the slack as numerous staff are forced into isolation due to COVID-19 exposures or positive test results.

Brad Forward, a paramedic in rural Newfoundland, said close to 50 per cent of his co-workers were out due to COVID-19 at one point.

"The workload kind of fell on to those who were still standing," said Forward in an interview with CBC News. "With the increased case numbers going … through the roof, the fear levels and the stress levels were rising pretty quickly." 

The rapidly spreading Omicron variant has meant hundreds of Newfoundland and Labrador health-care workers are off in isolation at a time when the system is already strained. 

While other events may be cancelled, medical emergencies never stop, said Forward.

"We're almost to the point now where, you know, we're almost having to try to be in two places at once. Really, the only way we can really cope is to jump into the work," he said. "That's all we can do until we get a chance to stop." 

Forward said ambulance services are still available to those who need them — though they may take longer than usual because of the layers of personal protective equipment that they need to put on.

"If you need help, call. Someone is going to come."

Jayne Denty of Glovertown says the race to meet rapidly shifting protocols is hurting staff morale, as well as response times.

"It's had a big impact mentally and physically on us," she says. "It's difficult to maintain your passion and to continue on working."

Denty said a paramedic shortage that predated the pandemic has only been worsened by the ongoing health crisis. 

"So we're working a lot of overtime doing a lot of on-call," she said. "A lot of people are away from their families or putting their families on hold during the day. So it's been difficult."

CBC News has asked the regional health authorities for the number of paramedics currently self-isolating, though with fluctuating data, that number can be hard to pinpoint.

Rodney Gaudet, the president of the Paramedics Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, said he doesn't have the exact number.