Vaccines the answer to COVID-19 outbreak in far north, health minister says

Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman says the best way to contain an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Buffalo River Dene Nation is to get people vaccinated.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Merriman said the government is working with northern communities to ensure access, as well as making sure people have “a good understanding” of previous public health orders.

“Everybody in Saskatchewan should have access to a vaccine right now. If they choose not to get that, it’s their choice,” Merriman said.

“My concern is, is that the people that we are seeing in hospital and that are having severe outcomes are those ones that aren’t vaccinated.”

In the Far North West zone, which includes Buffalo River Dene Nation, there are 119 active cases, more than double of any other zone.

Indigenous leaders have been pleading for help from the province with the outbreak, pointing to the end of public health orders as a factor in the spread of the virus.

They have called for more health support staff, to have the RCMP break up gatherings and to require those who test positive to self-isolate.

Merriman said his ministry is waiting for local health authorities to speak up if it wants to see any public health orders.

“The local medical health officer always has the opportunity to recommend to the chief medical health officer if there is a public health order that should be adhered to, or should be brought forward in that specific area,” he said.

“So we’ll wait for that information to come up through that, have a conversation with Dr. Shahab, or somebody that’s acting in his place while he’s on a well-deserved vacation, to be able to see if there is something that we need to do locally.”