A rare look inside Halifax’s COVID-19 inpatient unit, and the lessons they’ve learned
Global News
Hundreds of Nova Scotians have come and gone from the COVID-19 inpatient unit in Halifax over the past two years, including this most recent Omicron wave.
At the height of the pandemic, Dr. Christy Bussey had to rent out an apartment just so she could be closer to the hospital.
“It was a very stressful time,” said Dr. Bussey, head of Halifax’s COVID-19 Inpatient Unit. “That was a very different physical strain and stress.”
The hospital became a second home for Dr. Bussey, who’s been the medical lead of the COVID-19 inpatient unit since the pandemic began. She says it’s hard to put into words how chaotic the ward got.
“We were seeing an increase in admissions very quickly, and almost an exponential rate towards the peak,” said Dr. Bussey. “We were admitting patients directly from home, via ambulances, taxi cabs, however we could get them admitted to the hospital.”
Hundreds of Nova Scotians have come and gone from the COVID-19 inpatient unit over the past two years. Dr. Bussey says as the unit got through each wave, their confidence grew and fear subsided.
“Back in wave one, wave two, we didn’t have vaccinations,” said Dr. Bussey, “so those health-care workers, physicians, allied health professionals … and our nursing staff stepped up to a challenge like no other.”
It was during the third wave of COVID-19 in April and May of 2021 when Dr. Bussey says the health-care system was nearing the brink. The province was reporting triple-digit case counts through consecutive days, with dozens being sent to hospital.
“Getting through the first wave of COVID, I think we could get through anything,” said Dr. Bussey. “It was very stressful and there were a lot of moving parts.
