The region's health unit and top doctor have joined Ontario's chief medical officer of health in strongly urging people to put their masks back on in indoor settings, this time because of a trio of viruses impacting young children and elder seniors.
“Young children, the elderly and those with medical conditions are at increased risk of serious illness from these respiratory viruses, and we are already seeing the impact on the health-care system with more medical visits and hospitalizations, particularly for young children throughout the province including in Simcoe and Muskoka,” said Dr. Charles Gardner, the medical officer of health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, in a news release.
It's not just the continuing spread of COVID-19 causing hospitalizations, both Gardner, and Ontario's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, have described a "triple threat" of infection and severe illness caused by COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The three viruses seem to be hitting very young children (under five years old), older seniors, and people with underlying medical conditions, according to reports by Moore and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. Both Moore and Gardner are "strongly recommending" multiple layers of protection against these viruses, including wearing masks indoors.
Moore said the province's pediatric ICU beds are filling up with children sick from influenza and RSV, and the children are ending up on ventilators. Some of the province's larger children's hospitals have cancelled or scaled back non-urgent surgeries to redeploy staff to emergency and intensive care units to handle the capacity.
The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario has opened a second pediatric ICU, SickKids hospital is cancelling non-urgent surgeries, and children 14 and older needing critical care are being sent to adult ICUs. Ontario's emergency departments are being instructed to plan for an "extreme surge."
“These trends are expected to continue as more time is spent indoors. By wearing a mask indoors and layering protective measures, we can help prevent viral spread and lower the risk of illness impacting our schools, workplaces, and local health-care system," said Gardner in the news release.
Additionally, the health unit and Moore are urging people to get the annual flu shot and stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination boosters. There is no vaccine against RSV.
"Mask use, combined with other protective measures, can help to reduce the risk of becoming ill and protect those closest to us," states the health unit news release.
The layers of protection recommended by the health unit include the following:
- Knowing your risk by checking the Simcoe-Muskoka COVID-19 community risk level, and determining the best ways to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 infection and serious illness.
- Wearing a mask in indoor public settings, including schools and child-care settings. This recommendation includes children two to five years of age if they can tolerate a mask.
- Getting the annual flu shot and staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations.
- Staying home if you are ill and keeping children home from school or child care if they are ill.
- Screening yourself and children daily using the screening tool and following its instructions.
- Washing hands and regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces.
For more information, visit the health unit website or contact Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- With files from The Canadian Press
