Opposition parties push for emergency health committee meeting amid Omicron surge
Global News
The push comes as the country battles a continued surge of the highly infectious Omicron variant, which is straining healthcare systems to their limits.
Members from three federal opposition parties want an emergency meeting by the end of this week to press the government on the need for “surge” healthcare resources and its plan to respond to increasing Omicron cases.
In a letter to the Liberal chair of the House of Commons health committee, members from the Conservatives, the Bloc Quebecois and NDP wrote that they want to meet before Jan. 14 in order to invite Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, and other officials, to face questions.
Specifically, the focus of the questions would be on “recent COVID-19 developments.”
The letter notes the members want to press the government about the need for surge healthcare resources for provinces, which are struggling amid the explosion of Omicron cases. They also expressed concern about the recent advice around how long a person should quarantine if they get COVID-19.
They want answers on whether the government has procurement strategies for any “variant-specific” mRNA vaccines that might be created, as well as COVID-19 therapeutic drugs, and, finally, the availability of rapid tests, N95 masks, and domestic vaccine production.
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The push comes as the country battles a continued surge of the highly infectious Omicron variant, which is straining healthcare systems.
Unvaccinated people make up a disproportionate number of those in intensive care units, and the virulence of the variant is forcing significant numbers of doctors and nurses to isolate, leaving hospitals short-staffed while demand for care rises.