But employees still have time to get the shot, since the health authority won't require proof until November.
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One in five Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) employees remain unvaccinated as mandates come to the province — but they still have time, since the health system won’t be demanding proof until November.
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“We do not believe that we can provide a safe workplace any longer without our health care teams being fully vaccinated against COVID-19,” Dr. Kevin Wasko, the SHA’s physician executive for integrated rural health, said in a news release.
Wasko further explained the SHA’s proof of vaccine policy in a virtual media appearance Friday, saying that he’s frustrated some health workers have rejected vaccines. In his view, it’s been “long enough.”
“By getting vaccinated, we as health care providers are protecting ourselves, we’re protecting our patients, we’re protecting other members of the community and we’re protecting health system capacity by not falling sick,” Wasko said. “So it is frustrating for the rest of us.”
The estimate that one in five workers are unvaccinated also includes physicians who, though not SHA employees, work in its facilities, as well as all SHA employees, including health professions and other workers like cleaning staff.
Wasko believes that a minority of health workers have resisted vaccination for the same reason a comparable share of the general public have: apathy, uncertainty, and even misinformation. “I don’t think health care workers are immune to any of those effects,” he said.
While bars, restaurants, liquor stores and government ministries are requiring proof of vaccine as of Friday, the SHA is moving more slowly. By Oct. 15, employees must declare their vaccination status, their intention to enrol in a testing program or plans to seek accommodation. Proof will become necessary early next month.
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Wasko said the testing program is only a second-best option.
“Proving that someone doesn’t have COVID on a rapid test prior to a shift is not as good as being vaccinated,” he said. “It absolutely is not an equivalent option, but it is the measure that we will put in place for those who refuse to comply with the policy. And if people refuse to comply with that measure, there will be other consequences.”
Asked why the SHA is waiting until November to fully implement its policy, Wasko noted that the SHA is the largest employer in the province with a staff of about 40,000.
“This is a massive undertaking. We are giving people the time to declare their intentions regarding already being vaccinated, knowing that this is coming in and what would be expected of them,” he said. “So there are multiple moving parts to this, and even being able to administer the monitored testing program is a massive undertaking as well. We want to get that right.”
Wasko said that program will likely involve regular testing prior to any shift at an SHA facility. The employee would be responsible for covering the cost.
In defending its policy, the SHA news release pointed to the “unprecedented stress on our provincial system” as the Delta variant fills hospitals with hundreds of COVID-19 positive patients. Wasko added that some people seeking health services are requesting that only vaccinated health staff care for them. That’s understandable, given that Wasko acknowledged multiple scenarios where unvaccinated health staff have spread COVID-19 either to patients or staff.
“Those are the types of scenarios that we want to prevent,” he said. “The best way to do that is to ensure that our entire workforce is fully vaccinated. That is what we expect.”
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One in five SHA employees still unvaccinated as mandate looms - Regina Leader-Post
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