The head of the association representing the province’s hospital workers warns Ontario hospitals face an “imminent risk of overwhelming conditions” as they brace for a spike in COVID-19 patients.
Posted Dec 16, 2020, 05:47AM EST
The head of the association representing the province’s hospital workers warns Ontario hospitals face an “imminent risk of overwhelming conditions” as they brace for a spike in COVID-19 patients.
The Ontario Hospital Association has called an emergency meeting of its board of directors for Wednesday, to determine how to cope with the surging second wave.
An emergency meeting of @OntHospitalAssn board of directors has been called for Wednesday to discuss the risk that Ontario hospitals are facing an imminent risk of overwhelming conditions because of the COVID-19 pandemic. #onhealth #onpoli #canpoli #canhealth
— Anthony Dale (@AnthonyDaleOHA) December 15, 2020
Provincial health officials on Tuesday reported 921 people hospitalized with the virus, with 249 being treated in the ICU. That’s more ICU patients than at any other point during the pandemic.
It’s a situation the OHA tells 680 NEWS risks getting more dire, if people gather in person over the holidays.
“In late December and into January, hospitals appear increasingly likely to face a wave of seriously ill COVID patients that will almost certainly disrupt other acute care services and operations,” said the OHA. “This is a far more serious situation than wave one given the need to maintain access to elective surgery.”
This comes as hospitals across the province have reportedly been ordered to be ready to clear beds.
The CBC reports Ontario Health has warned every hospital CEO in the province to prepare to activate their emergency plans within 48 hours if needed.
That’ll mean hospitals in locked down Toronto, Peel and York Region, as well as those in red control zones, could have to make up to 15 per cent of their beds available for COVID patients.
A spokesperson for Health Minister Christine Elliott said the increasing pressure on Ontario’s hospitals is a result of community spread.
“We continue to closely monitor the evolving situation,” Alexandra Hilkene said in a statement, “and are committed to working with our partners to ensure there is capacity in hospitals across the province to provide care for any Ontarian requiring hospitalization.”
