Eastern Townships health network to reduce services once unvaccinated workers are cut

Health officials in the Eastern Townships are reducing services even more due to staffing shortages that will worsen once unvaccinated workers are suspended on Friday provincewide.

Evening and overnight hours will be reduced at the emergency room in Coaticook and the ER in Windsor will be converted into a walk-in clinic instead. 

The clinic will no longer offer triage, or accommodate ambulances. Patients will have to book a same-day time slot to see a doctor. These new measures will remain in effect indefinitely, the CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS says.

The CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS has not confirmed how many workers will be suspended as of Friday, but the local union estimates 1,200 will be forced to stay home.

Of this number, 300 to 400 employees could return quickly after receiving a second dose. 

Across the province, Quebec's Health Ministry says 93 per cent of health-care workers are adequately immunized and 96 per cent have received a single dose.

Currently, 22,446 health-care workers are not adequately vaccinated. Of these, 7,833 received a single dose.

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé said a contingency plan will be announced for the entire province in the coming days.

Major reorganization needed

According to Danny Roulx, spokesperson for the professional and technical personnel alliance (APTS), the Eastern Townships will require major reorganization.

For example, there will be a shortage of 150 to 175 patient attendants on the CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS territory.

"We are talking about the closures of operating rooms, of certain services, in particular, day-centre services," he said.

Roulx said the 811 information telephone line may fall behind and be unable to offer its usual level of service.

"We are already providing reduced services due to the pandemic," he said.

"This is unheard of, it is worrying for the health and social services network, and it makes you wonder if this will lead to unacceptable situations."

Mélanie Comptois, a nurse, said the government should try another way to move forward, such as daily COVID-19 tests.

Her colleague, Mylène Gagné, said the province's decision to suspend all unvaccinated workers will "add to our suffering which has been going on for a very long time."

Already, she said, staff are working long hours.

"And we know that we will have to do even more once the unvaccinated people have to leave us," said Gagné.