Sask. Medical Association says doctors alarmed at plans to scrap proof of vaccination rules
CBC
Saskatchewan's premier said he expects to scrap the vaccine requirement program by the end of the month. The Saskatchewan Medical Association and other health-care professionals say it is not the right time to do so.
In a news conference on Monday, Scott Moe claimed COVID-19 vaccines no longer reduce the transmission of the Omicron variant. As a result, he said vaccine requirement programs are no longer needed.
"With the Omicron variant that we are facing, we are seeing some public health policies that have ran their course and served us well but their time has come for review," Moe said.
Health-care professionals say Moe's claim about vaccines not reducing transmission is untrue.
Saskatchewan broke its hospitalization record on Tuesday, with 370 patients in hospital with COVID-19.
Also on Tuesday, the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA) voiced its disappointment with the premier's statements on vaccines and the possible removal of some public health measures.
"Saskatchewan's physicians are alarmed at these statements and are imploring this government to stay the course to mitigate the impact of the highly contagious Omicron variant," said Dr. Eben Strydom, president of SMA, in a public statement.
"It shows no empathy for the thousands of health-care workers who are bearing the unrelenting weight of caring for such high volumes of COVID-19 patients and the impact that has on other health services."
The Saskatchewan Union Of Nurses (SUN) echoed SMA's alarm over Moe's statements.
"I can tell you from hearing from registered nurses from across the province that they feel completely abandoned by the leadership of this province," said Tracy Zambory, president of SUN.
Zambory also said many nurses are away sick or isolating right now, many due to the Omicron variant. This has caused multiple rural hospital facilities to go on bypass.
"Because either they were an outbreak or they didn't have the health human resources there to actually run a emergency room or [take] patients," said Zambory.
"The weight of all of this, and the misinformation and flip-flopping now of the leadership of this province, putting people in more danger than ever before, is just another layer of trauma on the already traumatized health-care worker and registered nurse workforce in this province."
Zambory said there is conflicting information coming from the province when it comes to vaccines. She pointed to how the province has stated time and time again that the only way out of the pandemic is through vaccination.