SASKATOON - Today, Official Opposition Leader Ryan Meili called for an acceleration of the booster shot program in light of a new UK Health Security Agency study that shows low vaccine protection against the Omicron variant with two doses alone, but increased effectiveness with a third dose.
“Now is the time to create an Omicron plan and share that plan with the public. We need to be expanding eligibility to younger adults as soon as possible and lay out what steps are needed should Omicron start driving a fifth wave. We’re almost 2 years into this pandemic - this government needs to learn from their failed fourth wave response, be proactive and get this right,” said Meili. “Saskatchewan people were already at risk with protection waning from their COVID-19 vaccines. Now, as case numbers in other provinces start to climb, we need to be doing everything we can to get third doses into arms before it's too late."
A technical paper released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) last week estimates that the Omicron variant will likely account for more than 50% of all COVID-19 infections in the UK by mid-December. The report also highlighted preliminary findings that two doses of AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines provided much lower levels of protection than they did against the Delta variant. With a booster shot, however, vaccine effectiveness was found to be between 70-75%.
This follows additional reports from the UK that Omicron case rates are doubling every two to three days and a stern warning last night from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson that the variant poses a very significant threat — announcing his plans to accelerate the UK’s booster availability to any UK resident over the age of 18 by the end of the month.
“Our healthcare system is still recovering from the fourth wave. Surgeries and organ transplants are only just coming back online and healthcare workers are burnt out,” said Meili. “We’ve seen the consequences of not acting soon enough. We need real leadership before it’s too late.”
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Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.