One year ago, Dr. Jeff Betcher, a Regina critical care physician, and Leah Sawatzky, an emergency room nurse, were the first people to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations in Saskatchewan.
It seemed to, just maybe, herald the end of the pandemic.
But now the Omicron variant poses a new threat and a colleague of Betcher’s says a fifth wave is just a matter of time.
“We understand everybody is incredibly tired. Health-care workers are tired. The general public is tired. We’re all sick and tired of this,” Dr. Alex Wong said.
“But unfortunately the virus doesn’t care.”
Wong is an infectious disease physician in Regina and helps treat COVID-19 patients.
He’s urging caution with the new and highly transmissible variant circulating in the population ahead of the holiday season.
“We have a lot of work that needs to be done in order to try to prepare for Omicron,” he said.
He said the province needs to expand the booster program and speed up children receiving second doses.
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
- On the ‘frontline’: Toronto-area residents hiring security firms to fight auto theft
- Honda’s $15B Ontario EV plant marks ‘historic day,’ Trudeau says
- Canadians more likely to eat food past best-before date. What are the risks?
“The most important interventions at this point, at a policy level… are really working on trying to get optimal protection for as many people as possible as quickly as possible through the holiday season,” he said.
In terms of when a child should receive their second shot, he told Global News sooner is better.
“You need to speak with your health-care provider to get full details, but probably lean towards trying to get (your child their second shot) done sooner rather than later,” he said.
Saskatchewan currently permits children ages five to 11 to receive their second dose three weeks after their first – meaning those who received their dose when pediatric vaccines became available are now eligible again.
Global News asked the Saskatchewan Health Authority, health ministry and public safety agency if the government will expand booster eligibility and allow children ages five to 11 to book second doses.
In an emailed statement, a health ministry spokesperson repeated current guidelines, stating people aged 50 and older, 18 and older in the far north and on First Nations communities and people born in or before 2009 who are clinically vulnerable, including those with diabetes, are now eligible for boosters five months after their second shot.
Jennifer Graham also stated the government has plans in development to expand booster doses to all residents over the age of 18 in early 2022, saying it is critical “that we all get vaccinated as soon as possible.”
In a year-end interview with Global News, Premier Scott Moe hinted at a coming change.
“In the days ahead, Dr. Shahab will be delivering some guidance, or in the weeks ahead, I suppose, some guidance on further expansions of the booster dose policy,” he said, speaking to political reporter Connor O’Donovan.
Wong also said people should take care to wear masks, keep holiday gatherings to a minimum and reduce travel, where possible.
And he said health guidelines should mirror health recommendations – that having thousands of people attend sporting events violates the advice for people to keep social gatherings small.
“At this time, the measures available to us – vaccination, masking, handwashing, physical distancing, using self-test kits, staying home and getting tested if unwell or a close contact to a case – will assist against Omicron,” Jennifer Graham wrote.
Wong also said people should take care to wear masks, keep holiday gatherings to a minimum and reduce travel, where possible.
Wong cautioned a highly transmissible variant could again close schools and flood hospitals with patients.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure that the health system is ready for another big surge, so it’s going to be tough,” he told Global News.
–With files from Connor O’Donovan.
Comments