SASKATOON -- Six front-line paramedics in Saskatoon are in self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, Medavie Health Services West director of public affairs Troy Davies said.

“We are currently doing peer-to-peer swabbing on all staff as a precautionary measure to ensure there are no other staff who have contracted the virus,” Davies said in an emailed statement.

“We can assure the public that it is safe to call an ambulance when needed as our paramedics are following the personal protective equipment guidlenes as directed by the Saskatchewan Health Authority.”

According to the Ministry of Health’s vaccination roll-out plan, paramedics are not listed as being a priority in the first round of immunizations.

The first phase focuses on populations who are at a higher risk of exposure to the disease including health care workers, elderly residents in care homes, seniors over 80 and residents in the northern remote communities over 50, according to the ministry.

In an emailed statement on Wednesday, the ministry said because of a limited supply of the vaccine for the Saskatoon area, paramedics were not on the priority list to be immunized.

'In Regina, EMS personnel were included as part of the ‘health care workers’ vaccination pilot, as vaccine was available. Note that the former RQHR (Regina-Qu-Appelle) health region has a smaller staff complement than the former Saskatoon health region,” the ministry said.

“In Saskatoon, participation will be prioritized for physicians and staff providing direct care to COVID-19 patients. This includes frontline staff in ICU, ER, COVID wards, and COVID testing and assessment sites.”