'Saskatoon is in a crisis': Nurses' union calls on public to follow COVID-19 protocols

A woman wearing a mask is seen grocery shopping in this file photo. (Anna Shvets/Pexels)

Saskatoon — As COVID-19 cases climb and hospitals tighten rules around visitation, the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) is calling on the public to better adhere to the public health protocols.

Saskatchewan has 427 active cases — a new record for the province.

The majority of cases are in Saskatoon and are linked to outbreaks at local nightclubs, according to the Ministry of Health.

"Saskatoon is in a crisis. And it’s in a crisis, from what we can tell, because of the rules all of a sudden being very lax — people not following them as well as we should,” Tracy Zambory, SUN president, told CTV News.

Zambory is urging people to only go out when necessary and wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.

As a result of climbing cases in the city, Saskatoon hospitals and long-term care homes tightened visitor restrictions on Wednesday.

The new rules means people can only visit Saskatchewan Health Authority-owned facilities for compassionate reasons — which could include end-of-life care and major surgery.

Zambory, who worked as a long-term care nurse for more than 30 years, expects to see higher rates of loneliness and depression among seniors as a side effect of COVID-19.

“I think it’s very important we acknowledge the pain that families and residents are going through. But that pain wouldn’t be there if we didn’t have this incredible amount of community spread,” Zambory said.

On Monday, 66 new cases of the virus were reported — Saskatchewan’s highest daily jump since the start of the pandemic.