Saskatchewan asks other provinces if they can spare ICU staff amid COVID-19 crisis
Saskatchewan is asking other provinces if they have health-care workers they could send if needed in the coming days to help its struggling intensive care units.
Marlo Pritchard, head of the government's emergency operations centre, says half of the provinces contacted have indicated they are unable to help with Saskatchewan's COVID-19 crisis. He did not say which provinces might be able to provide workers.
Saskatchewan is looking for people who typically work in ICUs, including nurses, respiratory therapists and perfusionists -- staff who operate heart-lung machines.
Pritchard said the province will monitor its need for out-of-province workers over the weekend and into next week.
Saskatchewan has already said it is preparing to send COVID-19 patients to Ontario and possibly to Manitoba.
The province has been running out of intensive care unit space and staff, as mostly unvaccinated COVID-19 patients overwhelm its health-care system.
Derek Miller of the Saskatchewan Health Authority said the province has redeployed 600 health-care workers from surgeries and other services to deal with the province's fourth wave. Additionally, 175 workers have been redeployed to ICU wards.
"We are currently managing a high level of patients in our ICUs, and we've been doing that for a number of weeks now, and the priority is to provide the best possible care," Miller said Friday.
The federal government recently sent eight critical care nurses to Alberta to help in its ICUs.
The Saskatchewan Party government said it has not yet requested health-care workers from Ottawa, but has asked for supplies.
Health Canada said it has approved Saskatchewan's request for four million rapid antigen tests for October and four million for November, all of which will be made available to residents for free.
Saskatchewan will also be getting doses of monoclonal antibody treatments, which helps treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19, including hospitalizations and death, said a Health Canada spokesperson.
The province said it is also preserving health-care workers by implementing a proof-of-vaccination policy to ensure they are safe.
About 98 per cent of the 40,000 health-care workers in Saskatchewan have declared they are or intend to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the province's November deadline, Miller said.
He added that 400 people are declaring they will show a proof of negative test to attend work, with another 400 people declaring a medical or religious exemption, but they will also have to show proof of negative test.
Those who don't follow the health authority's policy will be let go.
On Friday, Saskatchewan reported 312 new cases, with 339 people in hospital, including 78 in intensive care.
Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, said cases are slightly down from the previous weeks, but it's too early to tell if it's a trend.
"Even if we're plateauing, we're plateauing at a high level and that's generating fairly high rates of ICU admissions," Shahab said, adding more restrictions may be needed.
"Anytime you have to cancel (health-care services) because you have to look after a vaccine-preventable disease -- to me -- is a call to action to bring our numbers down."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Case against ex-Mountie charged with helping China can go ahead in Quebec, judge says
A Quebec court judge has ruled that the case against a former RCMP officer charged with helping China conduct foreign interference can go ahead in the province.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, pleads guilty in sports betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud Wednesday in a sports betting case where prosecutors allege he stole US$16 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.