[March 12, 2020] Saskatchewan confirmed its first case of COVID-19.
Following a meeting with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Ministry of Health and other health care unions this morning we are gravely concerned.
We have learned that the highest level of personal protective equipment will not be made available to registered nurses and healthcare workers who may come into contact with the virus at testing sites.
N-95 respirator masks must be the bare minimum standard of personal protective equipment.
We cannot risk health workers getting infected and passing that infection along to the public they are caring for.
Using N-95 respirators greatly minimizes any risk of airborne transmission. It’s the minimum we should be doing for people in our province.
We are also hearing from members in high-risk areas of the system such as ICU, community and long-term care that they have not yet been fit-tested for N-95 respirators.
This is unacceptable – safety must be a priority.
COVID-19 has landed in Saskatchewan.
SUN is calling on the government and health authority to do the right thing regarding personal protective equipment. It is your right as a healthcare worker to demand the same.
Thank you.
In solidarity
Tracy Zambory, RN
President
