The Capital Health Communication Center has around 55 employees. Their job is to answer 911 calls, assist patients and dispatch ambulance services.
<q data-attributes="{"lang":{"value":"fr","label":"Français"},"value":{"html":"Il avait été planifié le 19last December to prioritize emergency medical dispatchers after ambulance attendants [pour la vaccination]”,” text “:” On December 19, it was planned to prioritize emergency medical dispatchers after paramedics [pour la vaccination]”}}” lang = “fr”>It was planned on December 19 to prioritize emergency medical dispatchers after paramedics [pour la vaccination], recalls Daniel Girard, director of the center.
However, due to the difficulty of supplying vaccines, the distributors were removed from the priority list in February since they were not in direct contact with patients.
Our risk is an internal outbreak that could compromise service. The dispatchers are the first link in this chain which is the allocation of ambulance resources.
We see the vaccination of the population. We think it should be reconsidered, this essential role of dispatchers
.
Labor scarcity
Management advises that recruiting workers is difficult among dispatchers, which increases the risk of a break in service in the event of an outbreak.
It is an unrecognized profession
, estimates Mr. Girard, adding that he cannot count on an infinite number of staff.
<q data-attributes="{"lang":{"value":"fr","label":"Français"},"value":{"html":"On est 55dispatchers, but we offer a service to a population of 1.5million people “,” text “:” We are 55 distributors, but we offer a service to a population of 1.5million people “}}” lang = “fr”>We are 55 dispatchers, but we provide a service to a population of 1.5 million people, explains Mr. Girard, that is to say that of the region of Quebec, Saguenay Lac – Saint-Jean and Nord-du-Quebec.
According to him, some health communication centers have been vaccinated, especially in Mauricie.
Prioritization to come
The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) ensures that the prioritization of the next groups will be announced in the coming weeks.
In an email sent to Radio-Canada, the department recalls that, as the quantity of vaccines available is limited, it is necessary to prioritize the people who receive them according to their vulnerability to the disease.
Still according to the ministry, the prioritization criteria are as follows:
- age which is associated with the risk of infection, complications and death,
- the existence of one or more pathologies increasing the risk of complications and death,
- the profession that can influence the risk of exposure to the virus and transmission of the virus to vulnerable people,
- the living environment which can also be associated with the risk of infection and outbreaks.
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