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Dozens of retired Alberta physicians, nurses signing up to help fight COVID-19

Click to play video: 'Health Matters: March 17'
Health Matters: March 17
WATCH (March 18): In Tuesday's edition of Health Matters, Su-Ling Goh tells us about why doctors are emphasizing the importance of patients being honest about COVID-19 symptoms, why trips to the dentist's office are being restricted in Alberta during the COVID-19 crisis, why some retired people are being asked to help out with the pandemic and about challenges currently facing Canadian Blood Services – Mar 18, 2020

The province is adding more health-care workers to its arsenal in its fight against COVID-19.

According to Alberta Health Services, as of Tuesday, 46 retired physicians had signed up to return to work during the pandemic.

READ MORE: Provinces try to recruit retired doctors as coronavirus spreads in Canada

“AHS is extremely grateful and is in the process of evaluating those who have offered their services,” said spokesperson Kerry Williamson.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons told Global News last month that it had pulled a list of approximately 300 physicians who had retired in the last two years and was reaching out to them. Their specialties ranged from family medicine to radiology to emergency medicine.

Spokesperson Jessica McPhee said that a physician could be re-licensed within a few days to a week.

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RELATED: ‘The need is there:’ Maritimes’ doctors, nurses coming out of retirement

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“It’s really important right now CPSA does everything we can to support physicians.

“This is a really challenging time for all practicing physicians in this province who are working tirelessly to support Albertans.

“We want to do all that we can to potentially bring more physicians into practice to be able to help the effort to fight the COVID-19 virus,” McPhee said on March 17.

Last Friday, the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta said 24 nurses had been re-registered and an additional four were in the queue to be processed.

Spokesperson David Kay said the nurses were deployed to AHS and Indigenous Health Services with the Government of Canada.

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International Medical graduates petition to help during COVID-19 pandemic
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