The association representing hospital workers around the province has issued a public appeal to Ontario residents to “strictly adhere” to public health measures over the holiday season and cancel traditional family gatherings.
In a news release issued Tuesday, the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) urged people to do everything possible to protect the province’s health-care system as COVID-19 cases continue to climb.
“The number of people in intensive care in Ontario hospitals with COVID-19 is rising, with potentially devastating consequences for patients,” read the statement, which was signed by a number of organizations, including the Ontario Medical Association and the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario.
“If hospitals, emergency departments and ICUs are full, it means that surgeries, procedures, diagnostic tests and routine care will have to be delayed, adding to a substantial backlog not just in hot spots, but throughout Ontario.”
The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Ontario is nearing 800 and as of Tuesday, at least 219 people infected with COVID-19 are receiving treatment in intensive care units around the province.
The province has confirmed that some hospitals in COVID-19 hot spots, including Toronto and Peel Region, have already been forced to cancel some non-emergency surgeries and elective procedures.
In Peel Region, hospitals are treating patients in “non-traditional spaces” because regular wards are already full.
The OHA went on to say that every resident of the province as a “moral responsibility” to follow the public health restrictions that the province has put in place.
With the exception of people who live alone, the provincial government has said that Ontario residents should only celebrate the holidays this year with other members of their household.
“We know that fatigue with public health restrictions has set in, and that it is particularly painful to cancel traditional family gatherings – but this sacrifice pales in comparison to the pain of losing a loved one or watching them suffer,” the news release read.
“In the spirit of love, family and generosity that characterizes the holiday season, we ask all Ontarians to celebrate safely and responsibly. Celebrating at a distance is the best way to support health-care professionals.”
Avoid 'risky in-home festivities'
This plea has been issued by politicians and public health officials around the province in recent days, including Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s medical officer of health.
“This year cannot be as usual. December is seven days along and we have reported just slightly more than 4,100 new cases of COVID-19 and 68 deaths from it,” de Villa said of Toronto’s new cases on Monday.
“The case counts are so high that I can only call this a very, very serious situation. There is no way to argue otherwise. COVID-19 is spreading aggressively in Toronto.”
She urged Torontonians to avoid “risky in-home festivities” during the holidays.
“Contact between people, especially from December 24 to New Year's Day, could easily amplify the number of infections we are seeing right now,” she said.
According to the results of a recent Angus Reid Institute poll, about 27 per cent of residents in Ontario residents plan to visit friends and family locally over the holidays this year and another eight per cent say they plan to visit people in another community or province.
On Monday, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott urged people to take precautions to prevent further community transmission in areas of the province with low rates of infection.
“Please try to limit your holidays with just members of your own household. Please do not have big family parties. Please do not go to big get-togethers,” she said.
“All that just increases community transmission and we're really trying to get those numbers down so that we can get Toronto and Peel out of lockdown and some of the other areas into lower levels so that we can start living more normally."
