Health Authority Breaches Own Vaccination Access Rules
With a hot and sticky day this morning people at the walk-in clinic had to line up for over an hour waiting their turn in queue to receive a COVID - 19 vaccine that is unless you were a member of Moose Jaw and area emergency services who simply went to the front of the line and received immediate access.
Preferred access the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has admitted breached their policies.
In a statement the SHA said that “At the walk-in vaccine clinic in Moose Jaw today, there were a few on-duty emergency services personnel who were allowed quicker access to the clinic.”
Something the SHA says is not their policy.
The SHA went further in their statement saying “The quicker access is not SHA policy and we will ensure this does not occur again. We apologize to anyone who was in line at the time.”
Over an hour’s duration MJ Independent was able to identify over two dozen members of local emergency services who simply walked up to the Convention Centre’s patient entrance, spoke to the security guard and were heralded directly inside without waiting in line.
Although there are limited supplies of vaccine the SHA said there was enough available for the clinic. Later the SHA said the clinic closed early.
However the clinic was suppose to run until 4 pm and the vaccine supply ran out at 1:30 pm forcing the clinic to close early.
Responding in a written statement the MJPS said it was all by the direction of the SHA.
“Eligible members of the Moose Jaw Police Service attended the walk-in clinic today. Upon arrival on duty members got in line and followed the direction of the onsite personnel,” Staff Sargent Taylor Elder with Community and Strategic Services said in an e-mail response.
The Moose Jaw Fire Department were apologetic calling it a misunderstanding.
“Clearly a misunderstanding as on duty emergency service personnel were granted front of the line access. We shall ensure we work closer with SHA to ensure this does not happen again. The Moose Jaw Fire department sends out our apologies regarding this incident,” Fire Chief Rod Montgomery said in an email response.
The RCMP did not respond by press time but it needs to be noted they have had a member killed this past weekend.
None of the parties involved replied as to how the special access came about and how so many members of emergency services knew about it and simply walked up to the front of the line.
MJ Independent attended the vaccination clinic after receiving three complaints from people standing in line and claiming police officers were not waiting their turn in line like everyone else had to do.
At the start of the aged based vaccination program members of emergency services requested they be allowed to be immediately vaccinated and exempted from the age based requirements. The argument was that emergency services were more likely to be exposed to the virus. An argument which was rejected at the time.
Member of the Moose Jaw Police Services (MJPS) enters from the parking lot and walks directly to the front of the line - MJ Independent photo
Member of the MJPS talks to security at the walk-in clinic - MJ Independent photo
Saskatchewan Health Authority contracted security leads member of MJPS past the queue - MJ Independent photo
SHA’s security leads uniformed member of the MJPS past the queue and inside the vaccination clinic - MJ Independent photo