SUN applauds province for reducing group gathering sizes and mandatory mask order

Registered nurses are becoming more and more worried about the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases across the province.

Saskatchewan Union of Nurses President Tracy Zambory says the bright spots are the new public health orders requiring masks at all indoor public spaces in Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert, along with the reduction in group gatherings in homes from 15 to 10 announced by Premier Scott Moe and Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.

“It’s a start. We would like to see it be all-encompassing for the entire province, but we certainly applaud the start there.”

Looking at capacity numbers at St. Paul’s Hospital, City Hospital and at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, as of Nov. 4, Zambory says ICU beds are nearly at capacity, while some other departments are already over capacity- and there’s really no room for movement.

“People get sick with everything else, right? All of the illnesses that can crop up on a normal day. So, then we have to try to make sure that people are getting looked after, not just for COVID reasons, but for every other reason. Plus, we’re entering into flu season,” she adds.

The biggest thing that now needs to happen, is compliance- and personal responsibility.

“Because all of the spread that we’re seeing now is community. So, it really is down to the individual on how they are going to conduct themselves,” she says.

And based on comments SUN receives on its social media pages, it appears as though there’s a lot of public division on whether masks are beneficial.

“We’re very divided, “says Zambory. “We’re a very divided public on the importance…there is solid research and evidence on the validity of wearing a mask. And I think that this is where we need to focus, is on personal responsibility and making sure that you are wearing a mask, that you’re doing the social distancing, you’re keeping your bubble tight. These are the things that registered nurses need to see because that’s the boost and the support that they require from the public.”

Eight months into the pandemic, she says many front line medical health staff including nurses are becoming weary.

“We have COVID, but we also have a health care system that has to look after everything else, and it’s registered nurses that are there trying to do that along with the rest of the health care teams.”