Ontario’s top doctor to make announcement as pediatric hospitals see unprecedented surge of sick children
Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer, is set to make an announcement Monday morning where he is expected to recommend the public resume wearing masks.
CBC Toronto will carry the announcement live at 9 a.m. ET. You’ll be able to watch it in the player above.
Pediatric hospitals across Ontario have been dealing with an unprecedented surge of sick children in recent weeks.
Moore has previously said this fall and winter would see a resurgence of respiratory illnesses and that he would recommend masking in certain indoor settings if hospitals began cancelling surgeries to deal with a surge of patients.
Medical officials have also been increasingly calling for the public to mask up after children’s hospitals across the province became overwhelmed with young patients in emergency departments, pediatric wards and intensive care units.
On Friday the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto announced it would be ramping down surgeries to redeploy staff to those areas.
SickKids chief executive officer Dr. Ronald Cohn said the cancellation of surgeries is a big blow to children, their families and health-care workers.
“It is heartbreaking for the families and the children because, you know, the term ‘elective surgery’ doesn’t really exist in children,” Cohn told CBC Toronto, adding it’s about finding the right time to schedule and perform the surgery.
“It’s also incredibly morally distressing for all of us as health-care professionals, recognizing that we actually cannot do these procedures for the children, knowing that they need them,” said Cohn.
Meanwhile, speaking at a news conference on Sunday, an unrelated issue, Premier Doug Ford urged members of the public to get their flu shots and be up to date on the COVID-19 vaccinations.
“Wear a mask every time possible,” Ford said.
Ford did not answer repeated questions Sunday about whether his government would be mandating masks in any settings.
“I’m going to follow Dr. Moore’s direction,” Ford said, a line he repeated several times when pressed on the issue.
