We must change the way we do testing and case definition
I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. David Fisman, epidemiologist at the University of Toronto. He believes we need to change the way we are doing COVID-19 testing in Ontario.
Ringing the alarm bells on critical care beds
Yesterday, Friday, April 3 -- Ontario public health officials released modeling projections for the remainder of the month of April. The numbers are sobering, as the government is expecting 1,600 deaths by end of April and between 3,000 and 15,000 over the 18 to 24 months course of the pandemic. RNAO’s concern is that this planning still happens under a “best-case scenario"; from the outset, RNAO has been calling not to make that assumption.
COVID-19, stay at home and domestic violence
WHO Director-General addressed the reports from some countries of an increase in domestic violence since the COVID-19 outbreak began.
PPE and ventilators: Saving lives
As yesterday and the days before, essential supplies and equipment remain a central concern. Governments have announced purchases. Now, we need breakneck delivery timelines as -- without PPE and ventilators -- Canadians and healthcare workers’ lives are on the line.
COVID-19 and people experiencing homelessness: Responding to the crisis
Thanks to Matt Kellway, RNAO Director of Policy, currently seconded to Inner City Health Associates (ICHA) to assist with protecting Toronto homeless persons from COVID-19, for writing this report.
In our collective response to this pandemic, it is the vulnerable that need to go to the top of our list for care and safe keeping. And, in that, we are failing the homeless because they have been relegated to the bottom.
Efforts to protect seniors
April 2, we achieved an important breakthrough in our effort to protect residents and staff in nursing homes, residential homes and other institutions for seniors. Ontario Health Toronto is recommending that long-term and continuing care homes in the Toronto Region follow a policy of Pandemic Universal Masking for healthcare workers providing routine resident care.
Urgent steps for government to take: RNAO's policy recommendations
RNAO's policy recommendations on the COVID-19 crisis for the Ontario and Federal governments.
COVID-19 and the US health care system
The COVID pandemic highlights the gaps in the US healthcare system.
Lessons for a pandemic, from those who’ve experienced one
Nurses and doctors in Médecins Sans Frontières have long experience fighting epidemics around the world. They are now sharing advice for Canadians preparing for one. There is no room for wishful thinking, they say. One must prepare for the worst-case scenario, while doing everything we can to avoid it. We must be mentally and organizationally prepared to deal with the conditions that are rocking Italy and Spain:
March 22, 2020 COVID-19 report
PPEs: A key area of concern is the availability of PPEs for the protection of nurses, physicians, other health workers and patients. Given the extensive community spread of COVID-19, and the evidence that persons, including health workers, became contagious before symptoms appear, one cannot assume that asymptomatic health workers are not spreading the virus
