The province of Ontario is asking people in the province to wear masks when indoors.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore spoke Monday morning about issues facing us this winter in regards to Respiratory Syncytial Virus, COVID-19, and influenza.
Moore is “strongly recommending’‘ Ontarians mask in all indoor public settings, including schools and child-care centres, but is stopping short of mandating it.
Moore says educating yourself on vaccinations is critical.
“Stay up to date with your vaccines. Get your COVID-19 bivalent booster dose and your flu shot. Both are safe and effective and can be received at the same time.”
More pointed to vulnerable people to protect themselves.
“I’m asking Ontarians, especially children six months of age and older, pregnant individuals, families and caregivers with young children, health care workers, elderly, and those with underlying health conditions, to get your flu shot as soon as possible.”
“With the peak of flu season expected in early- to mid-December, the time to get your shot is now. Please, please do not delay. It is not to0 late to get protected.”
“The higher the number of social contacts, the higher the risk as we go indoors, for this very social time of year.”
“The difficult and complex fall that was predicted has materialized as we deal with three major viral threats. COVID-19, influenza, and RSV.”
Dr. Kieran Moore made the recommendation today as part of an update on the pediatric respiratory virus season, which has seen kids’ hospitals overwhelmed in recent weeks by a massive influx of very sick patients.
Some major children’s hospitals have had to cancel non-urgent surgeries in order to redeploy staff to the emergency department and intensive care units that are operating over capacity.
Moore says adults can transmit respiratory viruses to kids, and young children under the age of five are the most susceptible.
In order to manage the crush on the health system, the government says experts have been meeting daily and emergency departments are being instructed to plan for an “extreme surge.”
The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario has opened a second pediatric ICU, SickKids hospital is cancelling non-urgent surgeries, and children 14 and older needing critical care are being sent to adult ICUs.
The full media conference statement is below
