What’s next? News expected this week on restrictions lifting as Windsor Regional starts to see an Omicron plateau
Windsor-Essex residents, businesses and heathcare officials could find out this week if the province will be loosening COVID-19 restrictions.
Ontario’s Health Minister Christine Elliott and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore discussed the data and fielded reopening questions at a media briefing on Wednesday.
Elliott said more details on reopening would be released this week. Moore added he is looking forward to the government’s announcement.
“I am confident that it will be phased,” said Moore. “It will be gradual. It will be based on data. It will follow the prudence that they have done in the past on that staged and phased reopening.”
Windsor-Essex medical officer of health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said last week he anticipates province will provide a framework for reopening.
Windsor Regional Hospital Chief of Staff Dr. Wassim Saad said Tuesday there is still space in critical care.
“Right now because Omicron is not sending many vaccinated people to the ICU, we have critical care capacity, which is obviously a good thing, but our inpatient wards are also being filled with many COVID patients,” said Saad.
However some of the space was created due to the provincial decision to reduce surgeries.
“Because of directive number two with the reduction in surgical procedures, elective procedures to only the urgent and emergent ones, we were able to create that capacity,” said Saad.
Saad said there are some positive signs that Omicron variant spread is slowing down.
“I think we are starting to reach the plateau, at least in Windsor-Essex, some other areas in Ontario it has already started to drop,” said Saad.
Windsor Regional Hospital reported 106 people with COVID in hospital on Tuesday. WRH says 70 are being primarily treated for the virus. Out of those patients, 37 are fully vaccinated, four are partially vaccinated and 29 are unvaccinated. There are nine COVID patients in the ICU - seven are unvaccinated and one is partially vaccinated and one is fully vaccinated.
“When it comes to the 100 plus in hospital, they are not there because of COVID. Some of them are there and are just incidentally were found to have COVID because they were swabbed on omission and were in for other reasons such as childbirth or a fracture hip,” said Saad.
Moore said the province will continue to monitor any continued risks in communities and focus on hospitalizations and capacity levels.
He added there are a series of data points that they are watching with hospitalizations, including the number of patients in the ICU and the length of stay.
“It’s not one number,” said Moore. “It will be a judgement based on all of these different metrics by government of when to safely and cautiously reopening.”
Moore said the province may be reaching the peak of Omicron transmission in Ontario in the coming weeks.
With files from CTV Windsor’s Sijia Liu.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
DEVELOPING Israel targets air defence system in Syria, state news agency says
Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defence unit in southern Syria, causing material damage, state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement as saying Friday.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.