The show:
Northumberland County is quickly reaching a tipping point when it comes to the pandemic. The new Medical Officer of Health for the region, Dr. Natalie Bocking, predicts a surge in the next few weeks. Hospitals in the county are preparing to deal with a spike in cases. Emergency plans are well underway, she said.
Intensive care units across the province are filling up quickly as the third wave takes its toll. It can happen in Northumberland if people do not follow the current stay-at-home orders and other precautions, she said. The county is hitting record numbers of cases. And, with Mother’s Day on the horizon, there could be another wave of increases as people ignore the official pleas not to gather.
If the ICUs fill, then sick people could be sent home to recover. As Ontario’s Chief Coroner, Dr. Dirk Huyer, said earlier this week, the variants have a devastating effect as more people are dying at home because the virus is causing people to deteriorate more quickly than before.
It is hard not to blame anyone for the rollercoaster ride many people feel these days. Between the federal government and the provincial government trying to get on top of the escalating crisis, cases remain persistently high, intensive care units are overflowing, and the vaccination rollout seems to defy logic. It is no wonder people are claiming pandemic fatigue.
In this interview with Consider This Northumberland, Dr. Bocking will take on navigating through all the aspects of what is taking place. She will talk about the surge of cases in Northumberland and the changes taking place at the health unit. She will address the vaccine rollout. Plus, she will provide some insight into what is happening and why. Here is that interview.
Originally aired: April 23, 2021
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