A group of Erie Shores Healthcare employees and Essex-Windsor EMS paramedics gather for a briefing before testing agri-food workers for COVID-19, June 2, 2020. Photo submitted by Kristin Kennedy/ESHC.A group of Erie Shores Healthcare employees and Essex-Windsor EMS paramedics gather for a briefing before testing agri-food workers for COVID-19, June 2, 2020. Photo submitted by Kristin Kennedy/ESHC.
Windsor

Mobile health teams mobilized once more at ESHC

A Windsor-Essex healthcare system is once again hitting the road to address a serious spike in COVID-19 infections.

Erie Shores Healthcare (ESHC) is mobilizing its mobile health teams to provide testing the support to the vulnerable in the region, such as migrant workers and the elderly.

ESHC CEO Kristin Kennedy said just like the rest of Windsor-Essex, the problem is worsening for them as well.

"We have seen, again, some increasing numbers in Windsor and Essex County for COVID, suspected and confirmed cases," said Kennedy. "Certainly, at Erie Shores Healthcare we have seen a significant uptick as well."

This summer, groups of nurses from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and ESHC, as well as paramedics from Essex-Windsor EMS, used mobile health units to visit agricultural businesses in the region and test workers, which at the time had the largest percentage of positive cases. This time around, Kennedy said another segment of the vulnerable population is included.

"Many of our partners had helped us along the way when we were in the agri-sector crisis with COVID, and we were out doing mobile swabbing on farms, and we've adopted that now five days a week in long-term care homes and the agri-sector," said Kennedy.

At the hospital itself, Kennedy said the second wave of the pandemic has taken its toll.

"Our COVID unit is currently full," said Kennedy. "In addition to that, we are seeing some sicker individuals coming into [the] hospital that are also contributing to our capacity issues here at Erie Shores."

Eighteen people in all have signed on to the latest mobile health initiative.

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