Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab told the Saskatchewan government its COVID-19 strategy was “not enough” while hospitals were overwhelmed in Spring 2021..“The current strategy is not enough. Any protection the vaccine provides currently will fail if case numbers are allowed to go too high as they are going now,” wrote Shahab..COVID-19 vaccines were not widely available and the Alpha variant threatened to overwhelm the province’s intensive care units..Shahab wrote to colleagues in April 2021 warning of the threat and the Commander of the Emergency Operations Centre Derek Miller responded with “I think all would agree with your summary that vaccine and current measures are not enough … the higher case numbers that we’re moving towards will certainly overwhelm ICU and acute capacity.”.Health Minister Paul Merriman called the existing COVID-19 protocols “very strong” at a press conference just a few days after Shahab’s email..There was a gap between what Shahab recommended and the province’s response..It took the Saskatchewan government another week before Merriman changed the COVID-19 strategy by restricting indoor meetings to immediate household members only, which was a strategy only previously used in the Regina area..Merriman responded to the difference between Shahab’s recommendations and the government’s actions..“At all times, public health measures have been added and removed based on the advice of public health officials, including the chief medical health officer, based on the best information available at the time,” wrote Merriman..Even as recently as Feb. 3, 2022, reporters asked Shahab during a press conference about Premier Scott Moe’s claim that COVID-19 vaccines do not help to stop the spread of the Omicron variant..Shahab did not confirm or counter Moe’s claim..“I don’t speak for or cannot speak on behalf of elected officials or premiers. That’s been true throughout Saskatchewan briefings. That’s true in other provinces and other countries,” said Shahab during the press conference..Miller sent Shahab an email after the press conference congratulating him..“Great job on the presser today. You masterfully walk a very fine line,” wrote Miller.
