The president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association understands the yearning to put the pandemic behind us, but in an opinion piece released today (Mon), Dr. Eben Strydom says he worries that the recent public health transition to what the government calls “Living with COVID” is too soon. That would include the recent announcement that PCR tests would only be available for at-risk groups like the immuno-compromised, and the Premier’s hint that the vaccine or negative test mandate could be lifted.

Dr. Strydom notes that the health care system has been stretched and strained by the Omicron variant, and there are situations where too few staff are caring for too many patients. Physicians worry whether there will be sufficient resources to take care of patients over the long term. The president of the SMA urges everyone to get vaccinated, and especially that third dose, saying it’s the most important intervention as we return to normalcy.

He adds that living with COVID, for the foreseeable future, will continue to mean wearing your best mask, limiting your contacts, and when sick, testing yourself and staying home. Strydom suggests public health measures should continue until the province sees steady declines in COVID cases and wastewater transmission data, hospitalizations in the low double digits, and ICUs having fewer than ten COVID-19 patients.

Click here for the op-ed:  2022.02.07 SMA op-ed