SEIU-West leaders say they are alarmed about recent comments made by Health Minister Paul Merriman regarding the vaccine rollout plan. President Barb Cape accuses the Health Minister of being unaware of what’s going on in the health sector. She says that, if he was aware, “He would not be inferring that long-term care staff and residents have all been vaccinated.” She says vaccinations have not been offered at all in some locations. Cape says other jurisdictions are making health care and emergency personnel a priority for the vaccine. But, she says, only in Saskatchewan are certain worker selected for the vaccine rather than offering it to all.

SEIU-West has sent an open letter to the Premier and the Health Minister with examples of why all essential and front line workers in the health and community-based selectors need to be offered the vaccine before moving to the age sequencing model.