Union calls for vaccine priority
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/03/2021 (1632 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Manitoba RCMP officers need COVID-19 vaccine priority due to the risks they face on the job and to help protect the people they come into contact with, says the national union representing RCMP officers.
“This is the only way to ensure the safety of our officers and the communities they serve,” National Police Federation president Brian Sauvé stated in a press release.
The union represents approximately 1,000 RCMP officers in Manitoba, including those in Westman detachments.
Local RCMP officers are responsible for enforcing health restrictions and therefore at a higher risk of contracting the virus, said Bobby Baker, the union’s director for the Prairies. Baker is a Winnipeg-based RCMP officer.
Federal guidelines from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization call for police officers to get priority access to vaccination in phase two of the rollout, Baker said. At this point, though, Manitoba doesn’t have police officers on the list.
As well, the spread of COVID-19 variants and interaction with the public mean RCMP officers are more susceptible to becoming infected, he said.
“Their unique roles are different from most occupations because of the inability to socially distance and the settings they have to work in,” Baker said.
Vaccinating police officers also ensures staffing numbers stay stable in the event of another large-scale outbreak, according to the union.
As variants of COVID-19 spread around the country, and to some extent in Manitoba, Baker said it is even more important to vaccinate RCMP officers, who often have to travel around the province during their shifts.
A provincial spokesperson said Thursday the vaccine eligibility criteria continues to expand, but police officers aren’t currently on the priority list.
“At this time, age and some underlying medical conditions continue to be the greatest risk factors for serious outcomes from COVID-19. And while the supply of vaccine is slowly increasing, we must still make very significant and difficult decisions about how to allocate this life-saving intervention,” an emailed statement reads.
“This is the same message we delivered to representatives from law enforcement when we met with them last month.”
» dmay@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @DrewMay