Submitted by Dr. Jason Malinowski, Chief of Staff, St. Francis Memorial Hospital
You can’t die of COVID-19 if you don’t contract COVID-19. While it seems like so far we’ve avoided the massive outbreak like other areas have suffered with, that doesn’t mean we’re in the clear. We knew from the start, that the better we did at physical distancing and hand washing (not to mention keeping hands off the face!), that the peak of infections would be smaller, and later. And even though the number of lab-confirmed cases remains low in our area, we know that there is community transmission, by people with NO or MILD symptoms. In our area, that could be you.
Dr. Alex Atfield, Chief of the Emergency Department at SFMH, states, “Barry’s Bay and surrounding area is at high risk because many of our community members are elderly and already have health problems. We are not protected from COVID by being in a rural area. You can carry COVID-19 and not have any symptoms, but could still make other people very sick. It is everyone’s duty to help protect our most vulnerable and that means following the rules, even if you are healthy and feel well.”
You’ve probably read the back-and-forth about whether masks are effective in preventing the transmission of this virus. As the research gets better, and more data keep rolling in, recommendations are becoming more refined. In short, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommends that members of the public use simple cloth face coverings when in a public setting to slow the spread of the virus, since this will help people who may have the virus and do not know, it from transmitting it to others. “This will help protect others from the droplets you make without even knowing it by breathing and speaking,” notes Atfield.
Here’s some advice that you may have seen, from the Public Health Agency of Canada:
“In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within communities and across the country, all Canadians are advised to:
- stay at home unless you have to go to work
- talk to your employer about working at home if possible
- avoid all non-essential trips in your community
- do not gather in groups
- limit contact with people at higher risk, such as older adults and those in poor health
- go outside to exercise but stay close to home
- if you leave your home, always keep a distance of at least 2 arms lengths (approximately 2 metres) from others
- household contacts (people you live with) do not need to distance from each other unless they are sick or have travelled in the last 14 days”
At SFMH we’ve been preparing for the pandemic for weeks, aiming to minimize the number of area residents who will get sick, and die from COVID-19. We’re not the only ones in this battle. We’re counting on you too. Shields up.
For further information on preventing the spread of COVID-19, hugiene, and the proper use of face masks:
How to make a no-sew face mask:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html
Malinowski,J. SFMH (2020,Apr.14) Communication re: COVID – St. Francis Memorial Hospital April 14th, 2020 SHIELDS UP [media release]
photo cbc