WINDSOR, ONT. -- Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald is calling the municipality’s new pop up hospital a backup plan.
“We realized we can’t predict what will happen, what numbers will come down the pipe, so we said you know what we will commit to taking them and we will set them up,” MacDonald said.
Bruce Power will donate 50 beds to the hospital, located inside of the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex.
“Three-sided walls with beds, linens, and chair, in case we need them to isolate our workers,” she said.
There are currently five hospitals in Windsor-Essex that accommodate COVID-19 patients.
“We’re looking at somewhere from 250 and 300 people in isolation in the hotel and motel area,” Windsor-Essex medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said.
Once those fill up, MacDonald says they would then turn to the pop-up hospital in Leamington.
"hHaving them in one place would give us better control in ensuring that they’re basic needs are met,” Ahmed said.
The pods would be available for anyone working in the agri-farm sector.
“It wouldn’t be just the ones coming offshore. Whoever is working in the industry,” MacDonald tells CTV Windsor.
On Thursday, The Windsor Essex County Health Unit reported 31 new cases of COVID-19 in the agri-farm sector.
MacDonald says there is no timeline for the pop-up hospital.
“Until our numbers get down,” she said. “Until our farm numbers get down.”
A meeting is planned for Friday morning on how to deal with the crisis within the farmworker population.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald and Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos will take part in the conversation, as well as health officials from Erie Shores Healthcare and Windsor Regional Hospital.
