Hundreds of N.B. health-care workers sick with COVID-19, hospital services impacted

As many as 600 New Brunswick health-care workers are unable to work because they’re infected with COVID-19, with the absences closing some emergency departments and suspending services.

The Horizon Health Network reported 250 employees who were absent after testing positive for the virus late last week, with 23 units in seven facilities dealing with an outbreak situation.

The Vitalité Health Network recorded 252 staff absences due to COVID-19 on Friday, a 41 per cent increase over an eight-day period.

As COVID-19 measures were lifted around the province March 14, both health authorities have stayed at a "red level," with all visitors to facilities being screened and masking required.

STAFF SHORTAGES, FACILITY IMPACTS

The Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville temporarily suspended its labour and birth services on Wednesday due to staff being diverted to address COVID-19 absenteeism in other units. Those services weren’t scheduled to resume until Monday morning.

The Queens North Community Health Centre in Minto was closed Friday due to a shortage of available staff.

The Sussex Health Centre’s emergency department was temporarily closed last weekend during the evening and overnight hours because not enough nurses were available.

People were asked to ‘limit their visits’ on Saturday evening into Sunday morning at the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Joseph de Saint-Quentin unless it was an emergency, because of a lack of medical staff in the building.

Paramedics in New Brunswick say the staff shortages at hospitals have led to lengthy ambulance offload delays.

THE RETURN OF UNVACCINATED HEALTH-CARE WORKERS

On Friday, the provincial government confirmed unvaccinated health-care employees would return to work on April 11 after being placed on leave without pay late last year.

The provincial government said unvaccinated health-care employees would be required to follow mitigation measures upon their return, based on advice from public health.

Green Party leader David Coon said the decision "was a sign of panic and desperation."

"Can you imagine, eliminating the vaccination requirements for people who work in very intimate ways with the most vulnerable in our society, in our hospitals, in our nursing homes? It should be going the other way to make sure everyone has their third dose as a requirement," said Coon. "But here’s where we are."