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Discouraged, shocked and stunned.
Those were just some of the words the president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association used to describe his reaction to Saskatchewan choosing to introduce few measures to address a surge in COVID-19 cases while ignoring repeated pleas from health-care professionals.
Dr. Eben Strydom said self-isolation and expanding testing helps, but so does a variety of other measures the province hasn’t even entertained, like masking mandates, mandatory vaccines and other vaccine incentives.
“(We’re) discouraged because we are really struggling at this stage with the surge and I think many of us feel that much more could be done to help with the current situation,” he said Friday.
As of Friday, the seven-day average of new daily cases is 366. A month ago, that same number was 72.
More than two weeks ago, a letter signed and endorsed by medical health officers across the province asked for serious measures to combat rising cases.
Again, a reminder that #SK MHOs (led by @CoryNeudorf) issued consensus statement August 26 detailing policy measures needed to help manage Delta in #SK. Masks, mandates, capacity, etc.
That was 16 days ago.
Today, @SKGov reinstated isolation/quarantine. That's it.#COVID19SK pic.twitter.com/S8i940XN1V
— Dr. Alexander Wong (@awong37) September 10, 2021
The situation inside hospitals has only got worse, with some at capacity and others on bypass as they’re unable to accept new patients and instead have to send them on the highway to another centre.
“I’m a little shocked at the fact that we need to be absorbed by a system that’s already under enormous stress,” Strydom said. “Our ERs are under enormous strain (and) we don’t have enough nurses in the hospitals.”
Those are just some of the new norms facing hospitals every day during the fourth wave.
Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Scott Livingstone said case numbers are expected to continue rising.
“The cases we’re going to see next week and the week after that (that) are going to put pressure on the system have already occurred,” he said. “Two weeks ago, we had maybe 200 cases a day … We’re probably going to be in the region of 400 to 500 cases a day. The numbers are going up.”
The Ministry of Health reported 432 new cases on Friday, the second time in three days the number of new cases exceeded 400.
Strydom said hospitals aren’t just overrun with COVID, it’s the trickle effect that eventually consumes every part of the hospital.
Increased numbers in the ER, hospitals being on bypass and something as simple as one nurse being assigned to one patient lead to cascading problems on top of employee burnout and stress.
Lack of care leads to longer hospital stays, which ties up more staff and starts the vicious cycle all over again.
“It actually puts people at risk. This plea from physicians is real. The experience is intense,” Strydom said.
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili said Premier Scott Moe has given up on people in Saskatchewan.
“We’re doing the worst and this premier is choosing to do the least in response,” Meili said in response to the province’s announcement Friday.
“We just think there are simple things that can be done that will help us provide the best possible care, which is why we are doing that,” Strydom added.
