More than 1300 Quebec health care workers contracted COVID-19 this summer receive the last-minute alerts of the duty

Despite steady increases in immunization rates, more than 1,300 HCWs, often inadequately immunized, contracted COVID-19 this summer and resulted in the isolation of hundreds more, contributing to the already acute shortage of personnel.

According to the most recent data from the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) on infections among health care workers, some 1,360 were positive for COVID-19 between July 1 and September 14, 2021. As of 1 July, only 63 per cent of all staff in the health care system had received two doses; this figure now exceeds 89 per cent.

At the beginning of the fourth wave, the record of recent infections in the health care system contrasts sharply with that of previous waves. Between January and June 2021, more than 13,541 employees were declared positive and temporarily removed from work.

"for that period, there was no vaccination or a single dose for most of the time. It is clear that vaccinated people, whether they are health care workers or not, are protected against infection and how doubly vaccinated reduces the burden on the health care system, "says Dr. Gaston de Serres, a medical consultant at INSPQ.

These recent data do not detail the immunization status of the infected employees, but according to Dr. De Serres, the vast majority were unvaccinated or only partially protected. "the current increase in this segment of the population reflects what is happening in the community," he says.

According to figures released this week by the Ministry of Health, there are still 20,000 workers not adequately vaccinated in the Quebec health network, including 8,000 in facilities on the Island of Montreal. Recent daily reports indicate 30 to 40 new infections per day among health care workers.

Full immunization coverage changes the situation not only for the workers themselves, but for the entire workforce in the network, as properly protected employees no longer have to be removed from work in the event of close or prolonged contact with a COVID-19 case, unless they develop symptoms, says Dr De Serres. Unvaccinated workers, on the other hand, still have to be removed from their work and placed in preventive isolation at home for 10 days under these circumstances.

Vaccination rate

While the overall immunization rate of health workers is improving on a daily basis, there are still gaps in immunization coverage for certain categories of employees, institutions and regions.

As of September 14, 89.5% of health care system employees were adequately immunized (two doses), but full immunization did not exceed 85.7% in the job category including recipient attendants, homemakers and para-technical staff.? Immunization rates are close to 91% for nurse practitioners, practical nurses and respiratory therapists, and over 95% for medical physicists, dentists and pharmacists employed by the network.

There are also differences in the immunization coverage of employees, depending on the type of facility in which they work or the region in which they work. Thus, at present, only 84% of nurses and paratechnics (client assistants, support, etc.) By comparison, nearly 93% of nurses working in hospitals or CLSCs are doubly immunized.?

There are also differences between some regions, particularly in terms of coverage of CHSLD employees. Staff in these facilities in Montreal and Estrie continue to have full immunization rates of less than 85%. Only the Côte-Nord (83%) and Nord-du-Québec (80%) regions perform worse. In Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, 91% of CHSLD employees are fully vaccinated and 89% in Capitale-Nationale.

"there are small variations from region to region, but the vast majority of institutions have good rates," says Dr. De Serres. But 86% vaccination instead of 90%, that can make a difference. "

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