Chatham ICU full. Majority unvaccinated. Surgery scheduling day-by-day: CKHA
Chatham-Kent health officials are “disheartened and worried” about the direction COVID-19 is taking in the region, saying the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is at capacity, and the majority of patients are unvaccinated.
Top hospital staff are again pleading with unvaccinated residents to get their shots.
“It is the best thing that we can do to protect ourselves and others,”says Chatham-Kent Heath Alliance President and CEO Lori Marshall.
“It’s not too late to get vaccinated,” adds Chatham-Kent Medical Officer of Heath Dr. David Colby. “In order to protect everyone in our community, we’ve got to roll up our sleeves and we’ve got to do it as fast as we can.”
Colby urges hesitant residents to stop believing myths about the vaccine, “Myths that the vaccine is untested. Myths that the vaccine is unsafe. Myths that the vaccine is ineffective. It’s very effective.” Colby adds, “It’s no shame to change your mind and realize that the evidence supports getting vaccinated.”
Colby indicated Thursday that his frustration level with those spreading misconceptions is high, “On a scale of one to 10, it’s up in the thousands!”
Marshall says there are currently 16 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 13 who remain unvaccinated. Five of those people are in the ICU, Marshall adds, with two needing ventilation.
“We’ve all heard this tune before or seen this show before in terms of when hospitals become overwhelmed,” says Marshall. “The only outlet that we have is to reduce our scheduled care and that impacts then on surgical patients who may have to be cancelled.”
Marshall fears surgeries may have to be cancelled saying scheduling is currently day-to-day noting medical, surgical, and critical care beds are also near capacity.
“Again, we are not doing that at this stage but it is something that I am really worried and concerned about that we may have to go down that road again,” she adds.
Marshall notes the current average age of an ICU patient is 61, saying the ages range between 20 to 93.
Colby reiterates that vaccines keep most COVID-19-positive people out of hospital, explaining health officials don’t want to make difficult decisions about who can and cannot receive health care, should more ICUs in the region reach capacity.
“We do not want to go there. We do not want to go there at all. We want to have enough health care for everyone who needs it, especially those in desperate need! We are a compassionate society, and we must maintain that compassion and I implore everyone to do their part by getting vaccinated.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Courteney Cox says her partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in therapy
Courteney Cox's longtime partner Johnny McDaid once broke up with her in a therapy session.