Sask. doctors question decision to leave bars, nightclubs, other venues open as COVID-19 spreads

Doctors in Saskatchewan saythe provincial government's refusal to temporarily close bars and other high-risk venues will cause COVID-19 to spread unnecessarily.

Premier Scott Moe says officials are consulting with industry groups and further measures could be announced next week.

But some doctors say the province has had six months to consult, and every day wasted will cause needless infections, hospitalizations and death.

"We don't want these things to be closed, but just look at the numbers," said Saskatoon ICU specialist Dr. Hassan Masri.

He said the first priority must be controlling COVID-19 infection rates.

Last week,more than 400doctors signed a lettersaying the COVID-19 restrictions announced by the province to that point needed to be stricter.

The doctors calledfor a 28-day closure of bars, bingo halls, gyms and places of worship.

The measures announced last Fridayinclude a 10 p.m. curfew for restaurant and bar alcohol sales. At that point, they also made mask use mandatory indoors in communities of more than 5,000.

Since then, the province has expanded the mask requirement to all communities in Saskatchewan, but Masri saysthat still doesn'tgo far enough.

Patrons of bars, nightclubs and restaurants don't have to mask when seated, and can gather in larger numbers than are allowed in private homes.

That'scontradictory and must change, says Masri.

"Limit your bubble. Only go out if it's necessary."

Saskatoon trauma specialist Dr. Brent Thoma and Saskatoon family physician Dr. Carla Holinaty agreed.

"If we can only have a few people at home, and there's a good reason for that, I'm not sure why we would gather in much larger groups in other settings, especially without masks," Thoma said in an interview Tuesday.

"How do I explain to my patients that the government has banned them from seeing their family/social circle in their home in small groups, but that going to the bar is fine?" Holinaty said in a social media post.

Masrisaid he hopes the government will take further action.

"My nature is to be optimistic and to continue to advocate what's best for our city. I think that the premier and [Chief Medical Health Officer]Dr. Saqib Shahab are listening," Masri said.

"I don't think this is a matter of physicians versus the government. We're all on the same team."