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Ontario hospitals grapple with COVID-related absences
Global News
The Opposition New Democrats asked Wednesday what further steps the province would take to avoid again postponing long-delayed procedures.
TORONTO — As Ontario hospitals grapple with staffing pressures from the latest wave of COVID-19 cases, critics are voicing concerns that surgeries could again be cancelled.
The Opposition New Democrats asked Wednesday what further steps the province would take to avoid again postponing long-delayed procedures.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says the risk of that happening is not high because the province has added hospital beds and now has antiviral drugs to treat COVID-19.
But days after the province’s top doctor said Ontario might see up to 600 patients in intensive care during the ongoing sixth wave, hospitals say they’re already feeling pressure as a result of staff absences due to the virus.
Kingston Health Sciences Centre says more employees are calling in sick with COVID-19 currently than at any time during the pandemic.
London Health Sciences Centre says the sixth wave has had a significant impact, particularly from “rising numbers” of staff who are off work because of COVID-19 infections or exposures.
Hamilton Health Sciences says it has returned to 80 per cent of pre-pandemic services but isn’t in a position to continue ramping up as staffing is “precarious” due to workers isolating and other factors.
Ontario most recently paused surgeries and other procedures in January when hospitals were under pressure from the first wave of Omicron cases.
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