The CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority says they are in talks with the Ontario government about the possibility of sending COVID-19 patients their way, if this province reaches its capacity limits. Scott Livingstone explains that there is now the capacity for 135 ICU patients , but the trigger for a decision to move out-of-province is lower than that because he doesn’t believe the highest level of care could be attained at 135 beds. Although the number of full ICU beds needed to trigger a transfer out-of-province is fluid because it depends on the circumstances, Armstrong says it would be around 116.
At this point, 160 staff have been redeployed to ICUs. One of the biggest challenges is having enough ICU trained staff to care for the patients, and in particular the nursing staff. Livingstone says at some point the nurses will need a break or they will burn out.
The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre has received 1.9-million rapid antigen tests from the federal government to be distributed next week. About 1-million will be distributed to those who are part of the Test To Protect program including schools, congregate living facilities, correctional centres, health care workers and businesses registered with the Saskatchewan Health Authority in the workplace surveillance program. The rest will be available for the general public.
Livingstone doesn’t believe the newly activated PEOC will have an immediate impact on reducing ICU rates or vaccination rates. However, he says, it does help to bring in other provincial resources and out-of-province resources to aid in the response. He adds that point-of-care testing, and using the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency’s resources to help shift contact tracing away from health care staff will have an impact on slowing the virus down, and will allow for quicker follow-up.
The President of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency says retired police officers are being recruited for a COVID Enforcement Team. Marlo Pritchard is also one of the leaders of the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre. He says a secure isolation site is being re-established, as it was before the public health order was cancelled on July 11th, for individuals who refuse to self-isolate.
Through a legislative process, a detention order may be issued.
Pritchard says during previous waves of the pandemic, many community leaders contacted police or the SPSA for assistance, because of community members refusing to follow public health orders and therefore putting the rest of the community at higher risk for exposure. The site, expected to be ready in the next few weeks, is at the Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford. He adds that voluntary self-isolation sites are also available across the province.
