NDP Caucus News
For Immediate Release
6 January, 2021
Government Responses to Public Health Directives is Concerning: Dinn
Interim NDP Leader and St. John’s Centre MHA Jim Dinn says this government’s response to the Omicron variant shows a lack of planning, and that government learned nothing from previous waves to be able react effectively to directives from public health. Dinn thanks the Chief Medical Officer of Health for making quick decisions, and health care workers for once again stepping up immediately, but the NDP is questioning why it appears that two years into a pandemic the government hasn’t taken an active learning approach to position the province to respond effectively to Public Health directives.
“What we should have seen was government having a little more foresight two years into a pandemic where they recognized the strains on our current health care realities, applied the bold creative thinking we were promised to ease the burden on healthcare workers and better shield the health care system,” said Dinn. “We will get through this next wave, but it won’t be thanks to government preparedness It will be thanks to Public Health staying on top of their game, and health care workers and individuals stepping up to do what we can and look out for one another,” said Dinn.
The NDP has concerns that lack of preparedness and hastily put together plans in response to a variant like Omicron is not what we should expect. Dinn is again calling on government to be proactive and find ways to invest in sorely neglected infrastructure, like schools lacking proper ventilation. There are still no plans to rectify this situation two years into an airborne virus taking hold across the globe.
“By now we should have a playbook ready to respond to the directives Public Health is issuing,” said Dinn. “We should not have to rely on local media outlets for the most reliable source of vaccine availabilities. There should never be a free for all with the roll out of vaccines that does not prioritize healthcare workers and leaves them competing with the general public,” Dinn said today. “This government needs to govern with foresight and find the best way to avoid the pitfalls we continue to experience.”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca