Regina infectious disease doctor favours mandating vaccines for all healthcare and long term care workers

A Regina infectious disease doctor is calling for mandatory vaccinations for healthcare workers and long-term care workers as the highly infectious COVID-19 Delta variant sinks its spikes into Saskatchewan with a fourth wave looming.

Alex Wong is adamant that vaccinating against COVID-19 provides a significant degree of protection against getting the virus and spreading it.

“I think if you’re working in a healthcare setting, there’s a professional obligation and responsibility to do everything you can to help keep people in healthcare settings safe, and that means getting vaccinated,” he said.

While he believes vaccination levels in the healthcare field isn’t “where it should be,” there’s no way to tell.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and the Ministry of Health both said vaccination rates among health care and long term care records don’t exist when 650 CKOM inquired.

Wong also echoed that.

“We don’t have really, any clear data showing around how many health care workers in Saskatchewan are vaccinated, or how many long term care workers are vaccinated,” Wong said.

That doesn’t mean forcing vaccinations among those workers, but providing a reliable alternative like rapid testing for those who either refuse or can not be vaccinated. It’s a conversation Wong says is happening in the United States right now and in some Canadian hospitals.

“In Toronto, at the University Health Network, (where) they are going to mandate vaccine or proof of fully vaccinated status and if you don’t provide that proof either because you don’t want to, or because you’re not fully vaccinated then what you’re going to have to do is rapid testing. A rapid, at home antigen test within 24 to 48 hours of your shift, and you’re going to have to submit that before you can go to work.” he said.

“I think it is important now, to try to push everyone as hard as possible in order to get vaccinated,” he added. “If you’re not going to get vaccinated, then taking those additional measures like frequent self-testing is going to be something that makes a lot of sense in order to help keep everybody safe.”

So, why wouldn’t someone who works in a healthcare setting or long term care home become vaccinated? Wong believes that just like the general population, there are those who don’t believe the vaccination is necessary, don’t believe in vaccinations, or simply haven’t had the time to get the needle in their arm.

“I don’t think it’s rocket science,” he said. “It’s very similar, pretty much the dynamic that we’re seeing. What we need to do is look at targeted approaches and what are the barriers for those working in a healthcare setting?”

Wong said even if the provincial government isn’t interested in mandating vaccinations, it doesn’t mean individual employers like the SHA can’t look at ways to motivate and optimize vaccine uptake, but also stress client safety, patient safety and worker safety.

“I think the government’s made it reasonably clear they kind of want to be hands off going forward,” Wong said.

His message: the pandemic is constantly evolving and the Delta variant is even more infectious that previously thought. Even people who are fully vaccinated can be vulnerable to breakthrough infections and potentially at risk of transmitting the virus to others as well.

“As the science evolves, and as the virus evolves, we need to evolve with it. We need to do everything we can to keep everyone as safe as possible,” he said.