Windsor Regional Hospital has told 57 workers, including nurses and doctors, they have to choose whether to work in Windsor or Detroit, but they can not serve in both cities.
Why, may surprise you.
Over the past few weeks, there has been increasing pressure to impose even stricter restrictions at the U.S.-Canadian border as the number of COVID-19 infections continues to rise in Michigan.
However, Windsor Regional Hospital CEO David Musyj told BlackburnNews.com his decision to make workers choose has nothing to do with the rate of infection across the border, but rather to take the pressure off of essential workers just trying to save lives during the pandemic.
"I think focusing on this issue, we're missing some other issues we should be focusing on," he said. "Like our homeless population, like our immigrant workers."
Musyj admitted he is not aware of any confirmed cases among the homeless population, but warned the virus could explode among that segment.
Of the 57 workers asked to choose, Musyj said half decided to continue working in Windsor, while the other half said they would help their colleagues in Detroit.
He said he believes restricting cross-border access could cripple efforts across the border to fight the pandemic, where the number of cases now number over 15,700 in Michigan and 4,495 in Detroit.
"Let's not make a decision with healthcare professionals that is basically going to cripple or devastate a state, or a city like Detroit," said Musyj. "Yes. They're in high-risk areas. They need to protect themselves -- and they do."
Dr. Wajid Ahmed, medical officer of health for the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, at the city's Emergency Operations Centre, February 28, 2020. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
One of the loudest voices calling for more significant border restrictions is the region's own Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Wajid Ahmed. Ahmed noted weeks ago that a third of all confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex at the time were healthcare workers, and all but one worked in Detroit area hospitals.
Musyj is not surprised and said all the research done about pandemics warns healthcare workers are at high risk of infection. He added that it is not contributing to community transmission.
"That has zero to do with Detroit," he insisted. "That has to do with us staying home."
As of Monday morning, there were 204 confirmed cases in Windsor, and 4,495 in Detroit. Michigan now has more cases than all of Canada with 15,718.