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Roussin: Southern Health region moves to critical-red on the pandemic response system on Monday.
It joins the Winnipeg Metropolitan area.
#covid19
It joins the Winnipeg Metropolitan area.
#covid19
Southern Health on Monday:
- Restaurants and bars close; takeout and delivery only
- Rec facilities closed
- Reduced capacity for retail, except groceries remain at 50%
- Churches go to 15% capacity of 100 people, whatever is lower
- Gyms down to 25%, masks mandatory
- Restaurants and bars close; takeout and delivery only
- Rec facilities closed
- Reduced capacity for retail, except groceries remain at 50%
- Churches go to 15% capacity of 100 people, whatever is lower
- Gyms down to 25%, masks mandatory
Roussin: Stay at home unless you have an essential reason to go out.
That's everywhere.
Not an order, but a recommendation.
Roussin repeats today's change: No #COVID19 symptoms, don't go for a test, unless public health tells you to go.
No booking without symptoms.
No booking without symptoms.
Roussin repeats: Don't associate with anyone outside your household.
[No bubbles. Do not gather. Period.]
[No bubbles. Do not gather. Period.]
[Roussin continues new comms strategy of stressing public health advice first and then listings stats after.]
Roussin: Too many outbreaks. Restrictions needed to change trajectory.
Need to reduce strain on the health-care system.
Need to reduce strain on the health-care system.
Siragusa: 333 surgeries postponed, 159 at St. B
She now speaks about plan to increase space, equipment and supplies for #COVID19 hospitalization surge.
First phase:
Repurpose surgery beds for other types of medical care and expand ICU into rooms nearby in the hospital
Repurpose surgery beds for other types of medical care and expand ICU into rooms nearby in the hospital
Second phase:
More complex reallocation of space in hospitals. Medical staff redeployed to take advantage of specific skills.
More complex reallocation of space in hospitals. Medical staff redeployed to take advantage of specific skills.
Third phase, for an extreme situation:
Less sick patients who don't have #COVID19 would be moved out of hospitals into overflow sites.
Less sick patients who don't have #COVID19 would be moved out of hospitals into overflow sites.
Siragusa: Manitoba has enough equipment
Staff is a more difficult question.
There's a plan to move nurses with some ICU experience into ICU care.
[There remain questions about whether skills are up to date. As well, nurses have not been consulted.]
There's a plan to move nurses with some ICU experience into ICU care.
[There remain questions about whether skills are up to date. As well, nurses have not been consulted.]
Another big question mark is what happens when nurses, doctors and other health-care workers in hospital get infected.
As for ICU spaces alone, there's a plan to scale up to ~240 in total.
The space and equipment exists.
Staff availability will be the crucial question.
The space and equipment exists.
Staff availability will be the crucial question.
Siragusa: We're going to scale this up gradually.
Addresses nurses: I know you have the skills to do this and if we need you to move [into ICU or other new duties], we know it's a very big ask.
Addresses nurses: I know you have the skills to do this and if we need you to move [into ICU or other new duties], we know it's a very big ask.
Siragusa: 15 more contact tracers started training today.
Public health can now state contact tracing allocation:
- 130 case investigators per day (public health nurses)
- 72 contact notifiers per day (StatsCan)
- 70 staff doing ctive monitoring/daily calls (60 volunteers and public health nurses, 10 Red Cross staff)
- 130 case investigators per day (public health nurses)
- 72 contact notifiers per day (StatsCan)
- 70 staff doing ctive monitoring/daily calls (60 volunteers and public health nurses, 10 Red Cross staff)
Roussin asked how many people infected at places of worship.
Says many events. Doesn't state where. Weddings and funerals.
Says many events. Doesn't state where. Weddings and funerals.
Roussin asked why province is not disclosing all schools exposures [As Minister Goertzen promised].
Says if exposure is old - two weeks or more - it probably is not a good use of public resources.
Says transparency is very high with school cases.
Says if exposure is old - two weeks or more - it probably is not a good use of public resources.
Says transparency is very high with school cases.
Siragusa asked how quickly ICU capacity can be scaled up.
Says it takes days for the first phase. Already started with increase of six beds this week.
Says it takes days for the first phase. Already started with increase of six beds this week.
Siragusa says it would take a few weeks to set up overflow space outside of hospitals.
Not needed now.
Says cases come in gradually, unlike in disaster situation with mass casualties.
Not needed now.
Says cases come in gradually, unlike in disaster situation with mass casualties.
Siragusa says current ratio in ICU is one critical care nurse per patient.
If ICU beds increase a lot, this one-to-one ratio won't be maintained.
Staff will work as a team instead, she says.
If ICU beds increase a lot, this one-to-one ratio won't be maintained.
Staff will work as a team instead, she says.
Siragusa asked whether the number of #COVID19 patients in ICU has been lowballed. She says no.
Roussin asked why not just close schools and shut down all faith gatherings now.
He says again, there's not much evidence of transmission within schools.
He says again, there's not much evidence of transmission within schools.
Roussin on faith-based gatherings - says 15% of max capacity already is a dramatic reduction.
