Saskatoon anti-vax protest moves further from hospital entrances
A group of around 40 protesters and counter-protesters took a slightly different approach at Saskatoon City Hospital protest Monday afternoon.
Those in attendance chose not to block key entrances and instead shared their concerns in what they called âa silent vigilâ behind the hospital for health-care workers being mandated to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Read more: âThe ultimate selfishnessâ: Doctors grow frustrated as anti-vaxxers protest hospitals
âWeâre putting them in a position to choose their career over a vaccine they donât feel comfortable with,â protester Mark Friesen said.
Friesen is a well known local voice in the calls against mandated vaccines. He is also a Peoples Party of Canada candidate.
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He said at Mondayâs protest he also doesnât support alternative masking and testing protocols like those in place at universities for people who are uncomfortable getting vaccinated.
âI believe in people making decisions for themselves,â Friesen said. âWhether or not they should put a mask on, whether or not they should be vaccinated, whether or not they should be tested.â
Several counter-protesters arrived ready to defend health mandates and health-care workers.
âItâs disgusting and itâs not acceptable,â said counter-protester Kent Allen. âAnd â" as it happened today â" they should be moved away from the front of the hospital.
â[Health-care workers] have a job to do. People are relying on them, some for their very lives.â
Read more: COVID-19 hospital protests âa morale blowâ to Canadaâs exhausted health-care workers
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Some of the counter-protesters criticized the motives of these protest groups.
âA lot of people are using this for political leverage; as you know weâre in a federal election,â Allen said.
Virologist Jason Kindrachuk says the mandates are a response to vaccine hesitancy at a critical time when cases are climbing.
âIf you want to combat vaccine mandates, then promote people getting vaccinated, Kindrachuk said.
âWeâre in a situation right now where we canât get kids under 12 vaccinated. We know that the herd immunity threshold is extremely high for Delta and weâre not there yet.â
Read more: More than 200 people protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates outside Saskatoon hospital
Saskatoonâs hospital protest is one of several taking place across the country this week. Counter-protesters say they are hoping the respectful distance from hospital entrances will be maintained for future protests.
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