The three hospital corporations in Grey Bruce area have come together to issue an urgent appeal to the residents of Grey and Bruce.
Officials say hospital capacity is being pushed to its limits locally as there has been a surge in occupancy in recent weeks. And they are urging residents to follow public health guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Grey Bruce Health Services, South Bruce Grey Health Centre and Hanover and District Hospital have left a limited number of available beds in the region for emergency care over the holiday season.
“Hospitals are depending on our communities to remain vigilant in following Public Health guidelines for personal safety to ensure we can continue to have capacity to provide care for sick patients,” said Dana Howes, Hanover & District Hospital President & CEO. “This holiday season, we all need to make a personal sacrifice to ensure that our community remains strong.”
That includes patients that are being admitted for heart attacks, stroke, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and other issues.
“We are keeping a close eye on the numbers, and taking all necessary steps to ensure that we are prepared at all four of our sites to protect the safety of our patients and staff,” said Michael Barrett, SBGHC President & CEO. “The trend that we are beginning to see in Grey Bruce is concerning – it is critical that our communities continue to practice diligent infection control practices to slow the spread.”
“Our staff and physicians have worked very hard to prevent transmission of COVID-19 within our hospitals, but the more illness there is within our communities, the harder that becomes,” said Gary Sims, GBHS President and CEO. “What each of us choses to do this holiday impacts all of us, and right now, we need your support to help us all stay safe.”