During a press conference Premier Scott Moe pointed to Quebec as an example of why lockdowns do not work.
“Omicron is spreading across Canada and spreading around the world regardless of the public health measures that are in place”
Premier Moe pointed to Quebec – a province that has some of the most stringent current lockdown policies in the country.
“We don’t see where people are gathering and following protocols hospitalizations and fatalities being reduced. Quebec is virtually double where Saskatchewan is. Lockdown policies and increasing public health measures do not seem to be slowing Omicron”
The province is under pressure from the public health sector, teachers, and many across Saskatchewan to put forward gathering restrictions. A move that Moe says will not be happening in the near future within the province.
Provincial modeling paints a grim picture of where the province’s healthcare system may be if further restrictions are not put into place. When asked if responsibility would fall upon the government if these projections proved to be true, and fatalities climbed. Moe’s response was that ultimately COVID-19 and Omicron are responsible for the deaths.
The Province’s Chief Medical Health Officer Saquib Shahab has been saying for weeks now that gathering limits need to be put in place, and that contacts should be reduced – a stance that seems to be at odds with the direction of the provincial government.
NDP Leader Ryan Meili responded to Premier Moe’s press conference with criticism saying that the Premier is downplaying the situation. “He chose to turn his back on the overburden health care system workers and the patients they serve, he chose to malign legitimate scientists and instead give fuel to the worse extremists.”
The details of the recommendations from Dr. Shahab is something that Meili wants the provincial government to release to the general public.
The Premier was joined by Health Minister Paul Merriman on Monday’s press conference, but not by Dr. Shahab, the NDP leader believes this was a political move by the Premier. “I believe what we saw today was a political message that could not possibly sit beside an honest public health message.”
