COVID-19: Kenney Suggests ‘Common Sense’ Response For Unvaccinated Healthcare Workers, Hinshaw Provides Update Tuesday Afternoon

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As the COVID-19 vaccination deadline for Alberta healthcare workers approaches, Prime Minister Jason Kenney suggested Tuesday that the province is open to bending that rule to avoid staff shortages in rural hospitals. .

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At a news conference Tuesday morning, Kenney said the government has requested that Alberta Health Services ensure that the mandate does not affect the capacity of the health care system, particularly for small and rural hospitals and health care centers in the areas. where immunization rates are lowest .

“We ask AHS to exercise common sense in those situations and not undermine the quality of patient care as it is applied,” Kenney said of the mandate.

By November 30, AHS requires all employees, including students, volunteers, and contracted healthcare workers, as well as medical and midwifery personnel, to be fully vaccinated. Those who do not comply will be placed on leave without pay.

In her own news conference Monday afternoon, Alberta’s chief medical officer for health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, said she cannot speak to the decisions that the provincial health authority makes in this regard, as it is up to the Employers determine “what requirements they consider appropriate in their workplaces.”

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In an emailed statement to Postmedia on Tuesday, AHS spokesperson Kerry Williamson said the health authority has plans to ensure patient care is not affected by the vaccine’s mandate, which includes finding staff. additional to support areas where immunization rates are low.

As of Monday, 95 percent of AHS full and part-time employees have provided proof of vaccination, Williamson added, while 97 percent of doctors have also confirmed vaccination status.

Hospitalizations continue to ‘test’ the system

The province reported 422 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing Alberta’s case burden to 6,090 infected people, 297 fewer cases than the previous day.

As of Monday, 608 Albertans remain hospitalized with COVID-19, although there are 128 patients in intensive care, seven fewer than the day before.

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“I want to make it clear that there are still a significant number of people in the hospital taxing our health care system,” Hinshaw said. “We must all continue to support efforts to further reduce these numbers.”

In the past 24 hours, he added, Alberta saw eight more deaths due to COVID-19, but four deaths previously related to the disease were reclassified, so the province only reported four new deaths on Tuesday, raising the provincial number from deaths to 3,159. .

New drug does not replace vaccination

Hinshaw also noted that Alberta Health Services now offers a new drug for those at risk of experiencing severe outcomes from COVID-19.

Sotrovimab, an antibody treatment approved by Health Canada in July and designed specifically for patients with mild to moderate symptoms, is the first treatment to be offered to outpatients in Alberta.

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According to AHS, the drug, which is given intravenously within five days after symptoms appear, works by preventing the virus from infecting human cells by adhere to coronavirus spike proteins that cause COVID-19.

However, Hinshaw said, the drug is not a substitute for the protection offered by COVID-19 vaccines, which he strongly recommends as the most effective tool for reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death.

Health Canada approves boosters

Also Tuesday, Health Canada approved booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for Canadians 18 years and older.

The booster vaccine is identical to the vaccine provided in the first and second doses, but is designed to be given at least six months after the second dose.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization also recommends boosters for those who have received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which uses mRNA technology, appears to offer better protection.

While the province allowed more Albertans to book booster shots this week , Hinshaw said there is currently no timeline for when they will be available to the general population.

Beginning Nov. 15, Hinshaw added, Albertans must use the QR code vaccine registry to access businesses or locations participating in the Restriction Waiver program. With the exception of First Nations and military vaccination records, records on paper or without a code will no longer suffice.

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With files from The Canadian Press

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