As Virus Season Worsens, Local Masks Mandate Possible, Renfrew Health Physician Says

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Public health officials would prefer a statewide approach to masks as the virus season worsens, but if that doesn’t happen, they’re likely to start making masks mandatory at the local level, says Renfrew County. , said Thursday.

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“I think what you’re seeing right now is[requests for the return of state mask mandates]to really pick up momentum,” he said. Several health departments will be ahead of it before it is formulated.”

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Individual local mask mandates are not ideal, he said. effective and easy to enforce.

“We want to move things forward together and look to[Chief Medical Officer of Ontario]Dr. Kieran Moore for leadership,” Cushman said.

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But disease patterns tend to vary across states, and the pressure isn’t the same everywhere.

As calls for the state to reinstate masking rules for classrooms and other spaces continue to grow, unconfirmed reports emerged Thursday that the state is considering introducing a new mask mandate early next week. was. The situation worsened in the hospital. As of Thursday, the number of children in need of beds in pediatric intensive care units in the state exceeded the number of beds available, with some being sent to adult hospitals.

The Champlain Health Region, which includes much of southeastern Ontario, was the hardest-hit area in the province, Cushman said. and more children are in critical care than anywhere else in the state.

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This week, CHEO, which serves eastern Ontario, set up its second pediatric ICU in a record number of hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Meanwhile, some health leaders have publicly urged people to wear masks to reduce the severity of the virus season and protect hospitals.

The hospital’s director of critical care and surgical services appears in a video announcing its second pediatric ICU, urging people to practice masking and other public health measures against the background of crying children in critical care. I was.

Renfrew County has seen a similar spike in RSV and other viruses, including an early start to the flu season, Cushman said. He said local ambulance workers are very concerned about the number of seriously ill children they are taking to CHEO for treatment.

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“Here it is. It’s true. This is the ‘three great epidemics’ we’re talking about,” Cushman said of the confluence of RSV, flu and COVID-19.

For now, he said, he’s reinforcing the message that people should wear masks indoors and in crowded places, get vaccinated, stay home when sick, and wash their hands.

However, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of going further if the situation escalates and the state’s mandate goes away.

“We have been in touch with Toronto and are waiting to hear what they have to say, but we are ramping up our messages with the exception of Section 22, which is subject to further consideration.”

Meanwhile, in Kemptville, the North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Center has expanded its hours of operation to manage the situation and reduce pressure in a crowded emergency department. At the center, he can see up to 30 people a day with symptoms of respiratory illness.

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Meanwhile, Ottawa’s medical health officer, Dr. Vera Etches, said in a statement that mask mandates need to be implemented state by state to be effective.

“We want to better understand why we need to wear masks again,” she said.

“Now is the time to put on your mask. This isn’t just for schools. It’s everywhere.”

The Ottawa Public Health Department reported seven more COVID-19 deaths and seven new outbreaks on Tuesday, though the deaths occurred in indoor public places or in homes and crowded outdoor public places. It is strongly recommended that you wear a properly fitted mask when gathering with others.