Doctors who work outside Eastern Health facilities are at a loss to understand why they are considered to be at less of a risk of contracting COVID-19 than physicians who work inside Eastern Health.
In Central, Western, and Labrador-Grenfell Health, community physicians have either already received or are scheduled to receive their vaccinations.
In contrast, while Eastern Health is vaccinating physicians in its own facilities, it has “overlooked” doctors in community-based practices according to the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association. The NLMA says as of yet, those physicians have not been offered the chance to get the vaccine.
“This represents an inequity within the physician workforce that must be addressed. Community-based physicians in the eastern region deserve the same treatment as physicians in all other areas of the province.”
– Dr. Lynette Powell, President of the NLMA
Health Minister Dr. John Haggie indicates physicians are being vaccinated according to how likely they are to be exposed to COVID-19, but NLMA President Dr. Lynette Powell says there are some 290 fee-for-service physicians working in their own clinics outside Eastern Health. That includes specialists such as rheumatologists who can see 20 to 30 patients a day, most of whom are immuno-compromised.
Powell is a GP, and they too are medically-compromised. She says it’s not fair and it’s scary for them.
