Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili addresses the media in front of the Jim Pattinson Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon on Sept. 8, 2021. (Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)

By Libby Giesbrecht/ CJME News

Sask. NDP calls for government to ‘show their work’ on kids with COVID

Sep 9, 2021 | 10:58 AM

The Saskatchewan NDP is calling on Premier Scott Moe to provide information and guidance on rising COVID-19 cases in the province to the public, especially involving kids.

Ryan Meili, the leader of the official Opposition, said Moe has “given up,” and Meili wants to see the government “step up and show their work” on the pandemic.

“Worst of all, Scott Moe gave up on kids,” Meili said Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Saskatchewan reported its highest seven-day average of new cases ever — 362 — and continues to lead the provinces in case rates and unvaccinated populations.

In a breakdown of COVID-19 in the province for the month of August shared Tuesday, government numbers included specifics about kids under the age of 12 for the first time. In the past, ages zero through 19 have been counted together.

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According to the government, of the 189 individuals who were hospitalized in the province in August, 10 were 19 years of age or younger and six were under 12 years of age. One child under the age of 12 was admitted to ICU in the month.

Health Critic Vicki Mowat echoed Meili’s calls for action to be taken by the provincial government and said the Sask. NDP shares the concerns of the province’s medical community, teachers and parents.

“It shouldn’t take day after day of the Opposition, municipal leaders, doctors, health-care workers (and) members of the community calling on the government to take meaningful action when we’re in a crisis,” she said.

Mowat said the government has placed “political gamesmanship above the health of the Saskatchewan people.”

According to Meili, Saskatchewan hospitals are becoming more overwhelmed with both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients — many of whom are kids under 12.

He said both the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Saskatoon and at Victoria General Hospital in Prince Albert have kids “fighting for their lives.”

The Opposition is calling for COVID-19 modelling — which Meili said he has spoken about with a “number of people in the health authority” — and the regular reporting of cases in kids under the age of 12 who cannot be vaccinated.

“The people of Saskatchewan deserve to know what’s about to hit them and what (the government’s) plan is,” he said.

Meili said he is concerned Moe is downplaying COVID-19 data to support the government’s plan of no public health measures in the province.

“Now is not the time to give up on Saskatchewan people and kids,” Meili said.

The NDP leader said he wants to see Moe appear in the legislature again with session resumed so he can face the media and the Opposition and answer their questions about why government decisions aren’t aligning with the information provided by medical experts.

“We’re flying towards 200 hospitalizations,” Meili said.

Government responds

Later Wednesday afternoon, the government issued a statement saying it’s continuing to monitor the COVID situation in the province and is consulting with Dr. Saqib Shahab, the province’s chief medical health officer.

“Premier Moe and (Health) Minister (Paul) Merriman are further engaging with the Saskatchewan Health Authority regarding the recent increase in hospitalization numbers and the ongoing capacity of the health-care system,” the statement added.

Moe hasn’t spoken publicly about the COVID situation in Saskatchewan since Aug. 30. The release said he will speak about the situation “in the coming days.”