Workers left out of vaccine delivery plans

When the news came that a COVID-19 vaccine was available, workers everywhere breathed a sigh of relief. Those on the front lines, who have been risking their health and safety for months, and who have witnessed firsthand the devastating spread of the virus, could finally see the end in sight. As we reached 2021, many were feeling optimistic.

However, slow vaccine deliveries and a lack of clarity from the provincial government led to confusion among frontline workers about who would be vaccinated, and when. Despite the National Advisory Committee on Immunization's recommendations that all workers in health care settings be prioritized for the vaccine, the provincial government's vaccine rollout plan left out many health care sector workers who work directly with patients in areas where COVID-19 is likely to spread. Surprisingly, even workers at COVID-19 testing centres were not included as priority workers. Instead, the government prioritized workers who they deemed to be "patient-facing," leaving out many workers who are still at a high risk of contracting the virus because of where they work.

Saskatchewan's health care unions have urged the government to change course and make more frontline workers a priority for vaccination. "Our members are facing the daily burdens presented by the ongoing surge of COVID in this province yet so many have been missed in phase 1 of the vaccination plan," SIEU-West President Barb Cape said in a recent news release. "It's obvious, given recent public statements from Premier Scott Moe, that our provincial government has no intention of reducing the risk to these front line health care providers by the introduction and enforcement of more stringent regulations. Now we see they will not be afforded a priority vaccine either. This is a huge mistake."

SEIU-West has since launched a campaign to "Respect Us and Protect Us," urging the provincial government to make vaccinations for all frontline workers a priority before the next phases of vaccine delivery where vaccines will be more widely distributed among age groups instead of prioritizing workers.

The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses has also been vocal about the government's vaccination plan for front line health care workers.

"As the front line of this pandemic from day one, you have given everything to your patients for close to a year, often at the expense of your own mental and physical health," wrote Saskatchewan Union of Nurses President Tracy Zambory in a recent message to members. "I hear from members daily about the enormous pressures you are under, and about how these pressures are beginning to take their toll. With all that you have faced, you should not have to worry about vaccination rollout too."

After significant pressure from health care sector unions including SUN, SEIU-West, SGEU and CUPE Saskatchewan, the government did add more workers to phase one of its vaccination plan. However, many workers are still left out. The second phase of the vaccination plan leaves out frontline healthcare workers entirely, instead shifting all remaining workers to the same age-based vaccination delivery schedule as the general public.

While front line healthcare workers wait for their vaccines, so do thousands of workers in other sectors who are also working on the front lines and continue to be at risk of exposure to COVID-19. Teachers, school support staff, and childcare workers will have to wait until their age group is eligible to receive a vaccine, as will workers in grocery stores, restaurants, and retail jobs who deal with the public on a daily basis. These workers will remain at risk of contracting COVID-19, as the Sask. Party government has made it clear that they have no intentions of enacting further restrictions that would protect workers. Every day that a worker has to wait for their turn to be vaccinated is a day that they are putting themselves at risk.

The good news is that vaccines are arriving, and the vaccination of those workers who were included in phase one is close to complete. The government has recently announced a plan to speed up vaccinations that they claim will see every Saskatchewan resident receive at least one dose by June. If this plan is successful, it would go a long way towards reducing the spread of the virus, taking strain off of our health care system, and protect workers on the job. However, until then, our provincial government has decided continue to put those on the front lines at risk by letting workers wait.