'Our bed pressures continue to exist with admitted patients and being over capacity is really the struggle for the hospital providers and physicians,' says official
The number of people suffering from respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, cold, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is on the rise, according to local officials.
"We are seeing an increase in volumes for people presenting to the emergency department with cough cold and flu like symptoms," said Dr. Vikram Ralhan, an emergency physician who also serves as chief of staff for the Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) in Midland.
"The data shows that it is on an uptick by about 13 per cent in October over September. We are certainly seeing a rise," he said.
For the hospital, the issue is exacerbated by the volume of people coming in with acute illness that may or may not be related to COVID or flu, said Ralhan.
"Our bed pressures continue to exist with admitted patients and being over capacity is really the struggle for the hospital providers and physicians."
GBGH has recruited a couple of new physicians for the emergency department but they have ongoing challenges with the number of nurses, said Ralhan.
"There are still days when we are short which will, unfortunately, affect wait times. We are still fortunate that we are able to provide a high level of care."
Due to wait times and the high number of acute illnesses coming to the emergency department, Ralhan said people with respiratory illnesses should initially seek treatment through their family physicians or from a local health clinic.
"I would never tell anyone not to come to the ER, however there are better places for patients to get care, especially when the wait times are long," he said. "Emerg isn't necessarily the best place to be seen for minor respiratory illness in otherwise healthy people," he said.
NORTH SIMCOE CARE CLINIC
The North Simcoe Care Clinic opened Oct. 30 at 619 Prospect Blvd., Suite 2 in Midland to serve the increase in respiratory illness in the region. The clinic is a partnership of the North Simcoe Family Health Team (NSFHT) with the North Simcoe Ontario Health Team (NSOHT).
The purpose of the clinic is to alleviate strain on hospital emergency departments and is for people with respiratory illness symptoms. The clinic will provide assessment, testing and treatment.
The clinic operates Monday to Friday with same-day or next-day appointments that can be booked through the NSFHT website or by calling 705-526-7804, ext. 253.
Ralhan said if medical staff in the clinic are worried about a patient, they will direct them to hospital.
NEW COVID-19 AND FLU VACCINES
As of Oct. 30, the XBB formulation of the COVID-19 vaccine and the influenza vaccine will be available in Simcoe Muskoka to individuals aged six months and older.
It's important to keep vaccines up to date, said Ralhan because, "immunity does wane for those people who have had a couple of doses or it's been six months to a year since they had the last vaccine."
A flu shot is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health, he added, as influenza can knock people down for a number of days.
Masking in public is a personal decision, said Ralhan, but is a good way to reduce getting a respiratory illness, including pneumonia. Of course, regular hand washing also helps control the spread of germs, he stressed.
SIMCOE COUNTY DISTRICT HEALTH UNIT
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health recently posted that the COVID-19 community risk is "moderate", one up from "lower caution" but below "high" and "very high."
There are rising numbers of common colds, COVID-19, seasonal influenza cases and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in its coverage area, states the SCDHU website.
"To reduce the risk of becoming ill and protect those closest to us it is important that everyone uses multiple layers of protection," it advises.
"This is especially important for those who are at higher risk of severe illness, specifically children under five years of age as well as older adults and those with underlying medical conditions."
New SCDHU advice is to "stay home until you are fever-free (without using fever-reducing medication AND your symptoms have been improving for 24 hours. "If you can’t stay home: wear a well-fitting mask and avoid non-essential mask-less activities for 10 days from when symptoms started. Don’t visit those at high-risk of severe illness including those in long-term care, retirement homes or in hospital."
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Patients may also explore the following options:
If you or your child develop severe symptoms, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department.
