A summary of frustrations I’ve heard from my colleagues who are eligible and eager to get the COVID-19 vaccine in AB.
Spoiler Alert: the new abundance of appointments this weekend is not because of lack of interest or desire on the part of HCWs to get the vaccine. /1
1. Those that booked appointments earlier this week were given appointments next week or later. The weekend availability is new.
2. Those eligible for Phase 1A (which is now) have yet to receive their emails/calls about booking their vaccine. /2
3. Those who are eligible for the vaccine who called the booking phone number earlier this week to book are denied appointments and asked to wait for their email (which they’re still waiting for). /3
4. Those that followed instructions and tried to reschedule their appointments online ran into booking glitches where they lost their original appointment time and were unable to rebook for this weekend. /4
5. Colleagues in clinics (ex. Family Doctors and Pediatricians) still have no idea when to expect the vaccine.
I know @AHS_media is working to get the bugs out of this system and believe they can easily fill these HCW slots by opening bookings by the honour system if needed. /5
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That is what I feel today after the measures that Government introduced yesterday evening. I'm glad that the health of Albertans and our healthcare system is being made the priority. Now, as HCWs, we can finally focus solely on taking care of patients. /1
To be clear, this is not to dismiss the importance of our economy, but right now, our priority MUST be the preservation of a functioning healthcare system. The biggest threat to our economy would be continuing to allow COVID to spread unchecked. /2
I am thrilled to see a province-wide mandatory mask mandate. This is a simple and easy step to help stop the spread of COVID-19. I am also happy to see *most* services being closed. /3
After some much needed sleep, I've finally been able to wrap my head around yesterday's new measures. Aside from a couple of poorly chosen or meaningless closures, the recommendations have just essentially changed the previous recommendations into rules.
A thread.../1
No indoor gatherings, period. This is the only step that I feel is appropriate. These should have been stopped long ago. The problematic part here is that what is allowed to remain functioning still allows for unnecessary and dangerous gathering of the public. /2
Places of worship can continue to have 1/3 capacity (changed from a recommendation to a rule). As @ryanjespersen mentioned on his show this morning, this still means HUNDREDS of people indoors in some of the larger places of worship in AB. This should be virtual only! /3
Ok team, this is my first ever thread so please bear with me. I’m going to lay out for you all of my concerns with the new restrictions on group fitness, liquor sales, and bar/restaurant curfews today and why they aren’t enough 1/9
First, any restrictions made today have a 2 week lag time. When the healthcare system is already stretched (130% capacity as per @shandro and some ICUs already overcapacity), action needs to be taken NOW 2/9
If we wait until the system has collapsed, it is already too late. If we get to a state where we cannot cope before stronger restrictions are made, we still have to somehow keep afloat in dire circumstances and a lack of beds for at least another 2 weeks more 3/9