KENNEY & UCP REFUSE
'Life and death': Alberta Medical Association calls for 'fire-breaker' COVID-19 public health measuresAuthor of the article:Anna Junker
Publishing date:Sep 27, 2021
Alberta Health Services staff in Calgary work on patients in a crowded intensive care unit.
PHOTO BY SUPPLIED /Alberta Health Services
The Alberta Medical Association is calling for a “fire-breaker” set of public health measures in order to get the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic under control as Alberta reports more than 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday.
Following a representative forum meeting over the weekend, the AMA is formally asking Premier Jason Kenney and Health Minister Jason Copping to implement the fire-breaker health measures, which physicians believe will aggressively control COVID-19 cases in order to protect the health-care system and keep Albertans safe.
“This is an immediate problem that needs to be acted on,” said Dr. Paul Boucher, AMA president, in a news release Monday.
“We are on the edge of a very dangerous cliff, one that will see physicians and other health-care workers making decisions on who does and does not receive care if case numbers continue on this path.”
Some fire-breaker measures could include the closure of nightclubs, casinos, bars and indoor dining at restaurants, the closure of gyms and indoor sports, and strictly limiting capacity at stores, malls and places of worship.
Boucher said the AMA recognizes there are negative consequences to hard lockdowns, but they see no other solution.
“It is now life and death,” said Boucher. “Albertans are tired and have been doing their part since this all started, and we do not make these statements lightly. These are indeed desperate times and we are disheartened that it has come to this. We need government to institute clear, decisive actions to immediately save our health-care system from collapse and protect Albertans.”
The Alberta Medical Association is calling for a “fire-breaker” set of public health measures in order to get the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic under control as Alberta reports more than 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday.
Following a representative forum meeting over the weekend, the AMA is formally asking Premier Jason Kenney and Health Minister Jason Copping to implement the fire-breaker health measures, which physicians believe will aggressively control COVID-19 cases in order to protect the health-care system and keep Albertans safe.
“This is an immediate problem that needs to be acted on,” said Dr. Paul Boucher, AMA president, in a news release Monday.
“We are on the edge of a very dangerous cliff, one that will see physicians and other health-care workers making decisions on who does and does not receive care if case numbers continue on this path.”
Some fire-breaker measures could include the closure of nightclubs, casinos, bars and indoor dining at restaurants, the closure of gyms and indoor sports, and strictly limiting capacity at stores, malls and places of worship.
Boucher said the AMA recognizes there are negative consequences to hard lockdowns, but they see no other solution.
“It is now life and death,” said Boucher. “Albertans are tired and have been doing their part since this all started, and we do not make these statements lightly. These are indeed desperate times and we are disheartened that it has come to this. We need government to institute clear, decisive actions to immediately save our health-care system from collapse and protect Albertans.”
The letter comes as Alberta reported 5,181 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday, with 21,307 active cases across the province.
On Friday, there were 1,882 COVID-19 cases identified, while on Saturday there were 1,541 new cases and Sunday reported 1,758 new cases.
There are 1,063 Albertans hospitalized with COVID-19, an increase of two since Friday. Of those, 265 are in intensive care units, an increase of 22.
Twenty-three more deaths since Friday raised the provincial death toll to 2,645.
Meanwhile, in an open letter signed by 60 doctors from the AMA’s section of intensive care, the physicians say Alberta hospitals do not have the resources to properly provide care to the growing number of ICU patients.
The letter states as ICU capacity grows, staffing ratios per patient fall below the normal standard of care.
“The demand for ICU nurses is currently so high that we need to increase the number of patients assigned to each nurse.”
Alberta’s ICUs are running at well over double our normal capacity, driven by a growing number of severely ill COVID-19 patients, the AMA said.
“As intensive care physicians, it is our duty to ensure that we continue to help the critically ill at any time and any place within our province,” ICU section president Dr. Clinton Torok-Both said in a news release.
“Unfortunately, our ability to equitably provide intensive care to all Albertans remains under threat.”
As of Monday, there are 370 ICU beds open in Alberta, including 197 surge spaces. Of those, 38 have been opened in the last week.
Health-care systems in Alberta, Saskatchewan 'broken' by COVID surge, doctors say
Sep 27, 2021
CBC News
Dr. Aisha Mirza, an ER physician in Edmonton, and Dr. Hassan Masri, an ICU and critical care physician in Saskatoon, share how the provinces' hospitals and medical professionals are struggling amid a fourth wave of COVID-19.
ICU capacity is at 84 per cent across the province, with 312 patients. The overwhelming majority of them have COVID-19. Edmonton ICUs are at 86 per cent of current capacity, the Central Zone is at 93 per cent, and the North Zone is at 100 per cent.
Calgary and the South Zone are operating at 80 and 81 per cent of current capacity, respectively
The Canadian Paediatric Society is also calling on the province to do more to protect children during the fourth wave of COVID-19.
In a letter, Ruth Grimes, CPS president, and Raphael Sharon, the board representative for Alberta, say while they support the latest public health measures announced on Sept. 16, they do not go far enough.
Calgary and the South Zone are operating at 80 and 81 per cent of current capacity, respectively
The Canadian Paediatric Society is also calling on the province to do more to protect children during the fourth wave of COVID-19.
In a letter, Ruth Grimes, CPS president, and Raphael Sharon, the board representative for Alberta, say while they support the latest public health measures announced on Sept. 16, they do not go far enough.
“Not only are we extremely worried about the direct health impacts of Alberta’s COVID-19 crisis on children and youth, we are anxious about the threat posed to their access to education, community supports and essential services,” the letter states.
The society is calling for mandatory vaccination for all adults working in schools or child care settings, or mandatory regular COVID-19 testing for those who cannot be vaccinated.
The society is also advising that indoor masking requirements be expanded to include all those over the age of two, including when seated at a desk or table, with limited exceptions including for eating/drinking, health conditions, or if they are unable to remove the mask without assistance.
They also advise mandatory testing, reporting and contact tracing of all COVID-19 cases in schools and child care settings.
Alberta’s fourth COVID-19 wave is the result of politics: Notley
‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson is joined by Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley to talk about the COVID-19 situation in Alberta. With ICUs operating well above capacity and the military offering help, Notley critiques the government response and is asked whether she thinks Premier Jason Kenney should step down.
Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley, meanwhile, says the province should be partnering with community groups and health-care professionals to go door to door to help those who are not yet vaccinated due to health, work concerns or a language barrier.
Those groups could be “having conversations and offering Alberta vaccines right there on people’s doorsteps,” Notley said.
As of end-of-day Sunday, 83 per cent of Albertans aged 12 and older who are eligible for a COVID-19 have received one dose, while 73.8 per cent are fully vaccinated.
— With files from The Canadian Press
ajunker@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/JunkerAnna
Those groups could be “having conversations and offering Alberta vaccines right there on people’s doorsteps,” Notley said.
As of end-of-day Sunday, 83 per cent of Albertans aged 12 and older who are eligible for a COVID-19 have received one dose, while 73.8 per cent are fully vaccinated.
— With files from The Canadian Press
ajunker@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/JunkerAnna
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