Grilled by reporters about yesterday’s news the United Conservative Party (UCP) government ordered Alberta Health Services (AHS) not to use the words “COVID-19” or “influenza” in its seasonal vaccination advertising, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith dodged, weaved and prevaricated, but didn’t outright deny the truth of the report.
The media caught up to Smith at a press conference after The Globe and Mail published its scoop that, “in addition to ordering AHS to remove references to specific vaccines, the government instructed the health authority to limit information on vaccine benefits and efficacy.”
The purpose of the news conference, ostensibly, was to talk about the government’s plan to spend $200-million over two years to try to increase Albertans’ access to family physicians – aided by funds from a barely acknowledged $1.06-billion, three-year funding agreement with Ottawa announced earlier in the day by Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange and her federal counterpart, Mark Holland.
But reporters at the second newser, the only one attended by the premier, were clearly less interested in the primary care announcement than the UCP’s interference in AHS’s seasonal public heath advertising that surfaced thanks to the Globe’s freedom-of-information filings.
At turns defensive and defiant, Smith made the risible claim that naming no respiratory virus in AHS advertising to encourage people to get vaccinated was a reasonable response to the undeniable fact there are a lot of different viruses in circulation right now.
Anyway, she said, “it was in our press release that we mentioned that people should talk to their family doctor about it.” This point was repeated several times, whenever a journalist asked, But what about the advertising?
Plus, the premier added irrelevantly, “we’re also … spending almost the same amount of money this year on the campaign as we did last year.”
Of course, everyone in Alberta understands the real reason is that Smith owes the party’s militantly anti-vaccine Take Back Alberta faction for her job, and is not about to put it at risk by adopting sound public health measures even though COVID-19 and influenza both continue to spread.
So there’s no way Smith was about to permit AHS to make a clear recommendation that Albertans get vaccinated against COVID or the flu even though experts in epidemiology and advertising alike know that would help persuade people to be immunized.
“Our press release says eligible Albertans are able to book their appointment of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines at an AHS clinic or pharmacy,” the premier responded weakly.
In a CBC report, the broadcaster quoted University of Alberta public health professor James Talbot describing the government approach outlined in the Globe’s story as “not just outrageous, it’s idiotic.”
A reporter asked the premier: “Do you have a mandate not to mention COVID in any of your messaging?”
Smith responded again: “It’s right in our press release. … People need to make sure that their vaccinations are up to date, and they need to talk to their family doctor about it.”
And since the purpose of the news conference was supposedly to respond to the critical shortage of family doctors … well – who knows? – maybe someday you’ll be able to talk to a nurse practitioner about it.
Asked by a reporter if he thought it’s a problem Alberta is seeing the lowest influenza vaccination rates in a decade, Alberta Medical Association President Paul Parks – along for the ride to talk about the government’s primary care plans – responded by saying “it’s absolutely a problem and a concern.”
“Vaccines work. They really, truly work,” Dr. Parks asserted, as the premier stood by fidgeting. “Our hospitals are overflowing with sick people with all respiratory viruses, but influenza is one of the highest right now.”
Vaccination, he continued, “it’s protecting you, but it’s also protecting other people that are going to get sick, and protecting our health care system so we can take care of people. So I just strongly urge and use this opportunity that we just need more vaccination for sure.”
The premier jumped in at that point to say, “I’m not a doctor. So as I’ve said, everybody should talk to their family doctor about the choice that’s right for them. …”
The next question: “Why do you think people are more skeptical now than they have been in a decade?”
Smith’s response to that one: “I don’t know.”
There was a moment of silence, which is as good a place as any for us to stop transcribing. I mean, really …
Well, as NDP Health Critic David Shepherd observed: “‘Do your own research’ is not a public health strategy. It is the mark of a government that’s abandoned one of its core responsibilities to the people it was elected to serve.”
Presumably Smith will soon have to field a call about Dr. Parks from Take Back Alberta founder David Parker, who in the past has expressed the view that “The vaccine was a lie! It didn’t work!”
Soon after the news conference, Alberta Health Services published a news release urging Albertans this holiday season to “spread joy, not germs.”
That release started by encouraging Albertans to wash their hands and cover their noses with a tissue when they sneeze, but eventually got around to meekly mentioning that influenza and COVID vaccines are available free of charge.
On social media, this resulted in general hilarity and suggestions the release was drafted to counter the premier’s discomfort at the news conference.
It is my duty to inform readers, however, that anyone who has observed AHS communications in action understands it is unlikely the organization could produce and approve such a statement in several days, let alone a few minutes. The amusing timing, therefore, was most likely mere happenstance.
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