By Pepper Parr
October 30th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
On Tuesday’s and Friday the Regional Medical Officer of Health releases a report on the status of the Covid19 cases in the Region.
People are behaving as if the virus is no longer a major health issue.
No one wants to wear a mask and at some of the larger gatherings the masks are hardly in site.
Even if you look hard – you’re not likely to see any masks. More than 500 people took part in a Chamber of Commerce event. Mayor was on hand – days later she announced that she had been infected. She either picked it up at the Chamber event or shared it with people she met.
But it is still be passed from person to person – the Mayor told the public that she was infected and had to isolate herself on the night she was reelected.
The Medical Officer of Health data is consistent – the number of infections are down but they are not gone.
Staffing is now a problem. The nurses and the care givers are exhausted – they need now to care for themselves. Many have decided to leave the health sector which exacerbates the problem.
The new outbreaks are taking place at retirement homes and long term care centres.
The infections get taken to these locations. The most vulnerable.
The hospital stay levels keep bouncing back up – with the cold weather almost upon us there is every reason to believe that infections will increase.
The continuing evolution of the Covid19 virus doesn’t help.
While many have convinced themselves that the pandemic is over – and no one has said it is – the personal protection we have to take wavers. That’s what caught the Mayor off-guard.
Late last week the Minister of Health for Ontario was seen wearing a facial mask while speaking to the press. There may not be a mandate but wearing that mask spoke louder than words.
He also pushed for people to get more boosters and flu shots. Supposedly, a very bad flu season is being forecast this winter. When people were mandated to wear facial masks there were very flu cases.
The hospitals and staff are being overwhelmed yet again and will continue to be in the coming months. According to Eric Vanderwall, President and CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital at the end of September there were over 2,300 patients waiting for surgery.
WEAR A FACIAL MASK. WEAR IT PROPERLY. PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS. IT CAN’T BE TOO MUCH TO ASK.