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Why are Paramedics upset that Firefighters are getting the Covid-19 vaccine ahead of others? Here’s a look into some of the reasons 1/8
Paramedics have been assisting with mass Covid swabbing and now vaccination within Long Term Care and Retirement Homes since April 2020. This puts paramedics and their patients at increased risk for transmission, hence why medics were moved into Phase 1. 2/8
While in the LTC facilities, all the residents were vaccinated, but due to shortages, the workers have only gotten the vaccine if there were any left over doses, meaning only a few staff received them (usually 3 or 4) 3/8
Now, these are staff that are directly in contact with Covid +ve and highly vulnerable people every minute of their shift, changing them, assisting them in and out of bed, and feeding them. And they have yet to receive the vaccine. 4/8
Nurses in the hospital who see 10s of patients a day, some who work directly in Covid wards, have yet to receive their first/second doses. They too should be prioritized above first responders. 5/8
Paramedics in Halton were lucky enough to be eligible for vaccination at the beginning of January, as supply was good and they were moved into Phase 1. FFs, Police and other first responders were to be included in Phase 2. 6/8
FFs are minimally exposed to Covid in the workplace as their only aerosol generating procedure is BVM ventilation during a cardiac/Resp arrest, which is infrequent. Medics have a longer list of AGMPs that increases their risk. 7/8
So, LTC workers, PSWs, and nurses should remain at the front of the line, followed by Paramedics, and then FFs, Police, and other responders, in that order. The system was designed to prioritize the must vulnerable and most at risk first, so let’s keep it that way 8/8
