Saskatchewan has so far not had to transport any critically-ill COVID-19 patients out of province for treatment; but plans are in place to do so if necessary, according to Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) Chief Executive Officer Scott Livingstone.
During a Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) Emergency Operations Centre conference call with reporters on Wednesday, October 13, Livingstone said Saskatchewan’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity has been extended 150 per cent in the last several weeks in an effort to treat the surge in COVID-19 cases.
“We have redeployed over 160 staff to ICUs in Saskatchewan hospitals,” said Livingstone. “Despite that capacity-building, we’re seeing unprecedented rates of ICU admissions.
“As a result, we’re not providing care to non-COVID patients as we should be.”
He noted that many patients who would otherwise be in ICU units are being treated on regular hospital wards.
Livingstone said service slowdowns, including the suspension of organ donations and cancellations of elective surgeries, have been instituted to “shore up” that ICU response.
“We’re making sure we’re prepared for the worst,” said Livingstone. “We have 135 ICU beds in operation, and we are at maximum capacity. If there are any major events like what happened a week ago in Regina, where we had 11 ICU admissions; if that as to happen again we would be having to send patients out of province.”
He added the provincial emergency response team is in discussion with Ontario to provide care to Saskatchewan residents if the level of care they need is not available here. He said the biggest factor to maintaining ICU capacity is ensuring health care professionals are not overwhelmed.
SPSA President Marlo Pritchard said COVID-19 contact tracing work has been reassigned to administrative staff to free up health care workers needed in critical areas.
“We’re trying to take some pressure of the critical care nurses as part of the contingency plan we’re working on,” said Pritchard, adding the province has not yet requested asked for help from the federal government.
“We are identifying the resources we have available,” said Pritchard. “We have not asked for federal help at this time.”
Livingstone said while COVID-19 vaccination rates are rising, with 84 per cent of the population having received their first vaccine shot and 70 per cent having had both shots, the numbers need to be higher to effectively stop the fourth wave.
“One reason the case numbers are high is that a large percentage of people coming into hospital are getting their first test at that time, and they’re testing positive,” said Livingstone. “That’s an indication of the uncontrolled spread of COVID activity.”
The province has stepped up access to COVID-19 testing, with 1.9 million rapid antigen test kits being distributed this week across the province, and another million slated to be allocated to schools, long-term care homes and other facilities next week.
The kits will be in high demand, said Livingstone.
But “testing will not stop the spread of COVID,” said Livingstone. “The most effective tool is vaccination.”