Over two dozen Saskatchewan health care organizations have launched a campaign to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as a vaccine is available to them.
The Saskatchewan Medical Association, the Saskatchewan College of Family Physicians and other physician and health care-related groups united in the online campaign, which was launched on Monday.
The campaign’s URL — wearesickofthistoo.ca — expresses the theme, “Hope is within arm’s reach” through the delivery of vaccines. The campaign tackles issues around vaccine hesitancy.
The message said, “We assure you it’s safe. Common side-effects are uncontrollable giddiness and happy tears.”
“It doesn’t matter how exhausted we all are, whether you’re young, healthy — COVID Does. Not. Care. The only way to stop it is to roll up your sleeve and get your vaccine.”
“We are encouraging the public to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their loved ones, and everyone in Saskatchewan,” said Dr. Myles Deutscher, president of the Sask. College of Family Physicians. “We assure everyone that these vaccines are safe. If you have any concerns about vaccines, talk to your primary health-care provider.”
SMA president Dr. Barb Konstantynowicz added the campaign is timely as vaccines become more widely available to younger people, while variants of concern spread across the province.
“We are in the middle of the third wave with VOCs spreading like wildfire,” she said. “When it is your turn, get your vaccination and follow public health guidelines so we don’t have any more spread of COVID-19.”
Those guidelines include mask-wearing, hand washing, maintaining physical distancing, and limiting contacts. Last week, the government also urged people to avoid unnecessary travel, and limited indoor household gatherings to immediate family members. Those who live along are allowed one consistent household of fewer than five people.
“We are so close, Saskatchewan, if we do this together, we’ll get there,” said the campaign message.
