NDP calls for more transparency and clear roadmap as Omicron spreads

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili is glad to see one leg of the race between the Omicron COVID-19 variant and vaccines accomplished.

On Thursday, the province announced anyone 18 or older in Saskatchewan will be eligible Monday to receive a booster COVID-19 vaccine, as early as three months after their second shot.

“This is all coming closer and closer to home for us,” Meili said Thursday. “We know we are facing a potentially very serious fifth wave. We know that our hospitals have not yet recovered from the previous wave.”

Meili said he is “deeply concerned” about the growth of Omicron across the country.

“Last wave we saw our hospitals get overwhelmed … and they’re still not back to normal capacity,” he noted, citing concern for the possible fifth wave Omicron could bring to Saskatchewan. “I’m deeply worried.”

Earlier this week, the Saskatchewan NDP asked that a plan for Omicron be developed and released by the province. Meili said Thursday’s announcement is one part of that plan, applauding the expanded access to booster doses.

He said waning immunity from people who received their second vaccine dose months ago and decreased effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine against Omicron show a need for that third dose.

“We’re happy to see the government finally moving forward with a plan for that,” he said.

Meili said getting people that booster shot is key to slowing down the virus, but more is needed from the government to keep the people of Saskatchewan informed.

As more people flock to receive their booster shot with the expanded eligibility, Meili said it’s important to take care of the people administering the shots as well as encouraging people to do their part in rolling up their sleeves again.

He also called for “clear, simple guidance” from the province on what people should be doing for Christmas gatherings, including large groups, and gatherings in public or at private residences.

Meili also wants to see modelling released that shows what an increase in Omicron cases across the country means for Saskatchewan people, as well as the risks there could be in the weeks ahead with growing case numbers and hospitalizations in the province as a result of the variant.

Further, Meili said the government should be giving residents a road map for the future weeks and months of the pandemic — and limiting abrupt announcements for people in the province.

That means informing people as to the thresholds of cases that could trigger corresponding restrictions, for example.

“Let’s stop with the surprises … so we know we can keep people safe,” Meili said.

Transparency is something Meili said has been lacking from the province.

“Throughout this pandemic, Scott Moe has done everything he could to avoid transparency, to hide modelling, to hide Dr. (Saqib) Shahab’s recommendations, to be very reluctant to release clear information on what’s going on with the virus at various phases of the pandemic,” Meili said.

“I just think we need to flip this on its head. Let’s open up the books.”

The NDP leader said he believes Saskatchewan people can and should be trusted with information about the current state of COVID in the province, so they can keep doing the most they can to keep themselves and others safe.