Gov’t says most COVID patients in Sask. hospitals haven’t been vaccinated

There are more than 130 patients currently in Saskatchewan hospitals suffering from COVID-19, and Premier Scott Moe says the majority have not been vaccinated.

“We have 136 people in the hospital today. Virtually all of them have not received a vaccine,” Moe said during a media conference Tuesday.

Saskatchewan Health Authority CEO Scott Livingstone echoed that comment.

“The majority of our hospitalizations today are in individuals that did not receive (a) vaccine that were eligible to receive, but I can’t speak to why,” said Livingstone. “They may have some reason or condition that prohibited them from doing so.

“But certainly getting vaccinated … is our most definitive tool to reduce pressure on our health-care system, as well as reduce our infections across the province.”

Moe added some people suffering with serious illnesses related to COVID had made a choice against vaccination.

“They simply are not going to get vaccinated,” he said.

Chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab explained a very small number of people who have been vaccinated had other serious comorbidities; they may be older and that’s why they have been admitted to a hospital.

“We also had people who were admitted for a long period of time and ultimately passed away. But the vast majority of cases continue to be individuals who … either were not vaccinated or where COVID was one of the causes where there were many other comorbidities,” he added.

He said the vaccines are performing exactly as they should be, and that is to dramatically reduce hospitalizations and death. Still, there will be a small number of people who aren’t protected as well with the vaccine as others may be.

“If all of us are vaccinated then we can also protect others who may be vaccinated but may not mount a full immune response due to other underlying conditions or immune suppression,” he added.

Moe had a stern message for those who have chosen not to get a jab in the arm, calling it a “misguided notion of defending your personal freedoms.”

“You’re actually the ones standing in the way,” he said. “So if you really want all your freedoms back, go get in line and go get vaccinated. It’s really not that big a deal. We’re not asking you to storm the beaches of Normandy.”

As for whether the provincial government is considering offering any incentives the way some U.S. states are doing to encourage additional vaccine uptake, Moe said it wasn’t likely.

“I’m very convinced and quite hopeful that our vaccine uptake will be among some of the highest ultimately in the nation,” he said. “The incentive is that you should you get COVID … You’re not going to get as sick. You’re not going to end up in the hospital.”