‘We have no other choice’: Quebec announces that some health workers with COVID-19 will be able to work | The Canadian News

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé announced that the province would allow some health workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 to continue working.

Dubé made the announcement Tuesday in Montreal as the province faces an increase in cases driven by the Omicron variant and a rapid increase in hospitalizations.

“What we are trying to avoid above all … is overwhelming the health network,” he said in French.

“We are trapped in a vice in which hospitalizations increase and more and more health workers have to take time off. In other words, we have more and more patients and fewer and fewer people are left to take care of them ”.

Dubé said 4,000 healthcare workers were absent due to COVID-19 last week and that number rose to 7,000 on Tuesday when hospitalizations topped 702, including 115 patients in intensive care units.

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2:04Quebec will allow some health workers infected by COVID-19 to remain at work

He said the number of absent health workers is expected to reach 10,000 in the coming days.

“In previous waves, we wanted to identify and eliminate at-risk employees as quickly as possible. With the current level of vaccination, we have to do the opposite, we have no other option, “he said, adding that 98 percent of health workers are vaccinated.

“We made the decision that under certain conditions, positive staff will be able to continue working under a priority and risk management list.”

Dubé gave few details about what those conditions entailed, but said decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis.

However, a press release from the Ministry of Health provided clarification, saying that the isolation period for healthcare workers who test positive could be shortened depending on the type of exposure, the results of laboratory tests and the vaccination status of the person.

2:20COVID-19: Quebec will allow essential healthcare workers to work even if they test positive on a case-by-case basis

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Dubé said the hope is to expand the new measure to include all essential workers, not just healthcare workers, with more details to be announced in the coming days.

Dubé said the new measure was necessary and was implemented to avoid further delays in surgeries and diagnostic procedures and to avoid a situation where the province can only provide critical care.

Despite Dubé’s assurances about ongoing discussions with unions about the new measures, many are already speaking out against them.

In a press release, the Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS-CSN), which represents 120,000 members in both the public and private networks, said there are other measures the government could take instead.

The federation is calling for an on-site COVID-19 review for employees, less movement of personnel, stabilization equipment and a focus on ventilation in work environments.

“The network is not prepared to face the risks of the government’s decision to return asymptomatic infected personnel to work,” wrote union president Réjean Leclerc, adding that by putting workers at risk, the measure is also putting to patients, who are already vulnerable, at even higher risk.

The Federation of Nurses of Quebec (FIQ) agrees.

In a post on Twitter, the FIQ said that keeping infected but asymptomatic workers on the job is too risky.

“FIQ President Julie Bouchard is strongly opposed.”

A regional spokesperson for the FIQ Montreal West Island branch reiterated some of the federation’s requests, while adding some.

“All we want is proper on-site testing for our healthcare workers, N95 masks for everyone, regardless of whether you work in a hot zone or a cold zone and for them to put the hot zones and cold zones back on,” Kristina Hoare said. suggesting that an unfair burden is being imposed on staff.

“We ask these health workers, as we have asked them for the last year and a half, to give 110 percent and now we are asking them, in addition to giving 110 percent, that now they have to come in sick and do your job “.

Dr. Horacio Arruda, the province’s director of public health, said health workers positive for COVID-19 could be assigned to work with patients who test positive, receive additional protective equipment and would not be allowed to eat lunch. with colleagues with negative results.

Health officials said the decision amounted to choosing the lesser of two bad options.

“We are saying that this is the best alternative compared to not providing care to the people,” said Dubé.

Accelerate the launch of booster injections

Among other measures Dubé announced Tuesday was the acceleration of the third-dose booster injections, which provide significantly better protection against the Omicron variant.

As of Wednesday, essential workers, including school personnel, public safety personnel, people who work in community organizations that provide health and social services, agricultural workers, such as food inspectors, and those who work in slaughterhouses, as well as private sector health workers, will be allowed to book appointments on the Clic Santé website.

Starting on January 4, 2022, booster vaccines will be progressively available to the general population based on age group.

– With files from The Canadian Press

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