Pandemic Update
Tuesday, June 08, 2021
Pandemic Update. June 8, 2021
Peel is still considered a hot zone by public health officials. There is little hope that things will re-open in the same way as the rest of province. We continue to try to provide essential medical services under the guidelines issued within the emergency order. Our team has not yet received a second dose of vaccine, so our vaccination status remains pending. Very few details are shared with front line doctors as to the reasoning behind these decisions. It seems to all be blamed on "numbers". We will continue to provide urgent care as best we can. There is a substantial backlog of routine medical care and screening accumulating that will take months to address. Our stress levels have been quite overwhelming as you can imagine. In order to return to providing low risk care and health care screening, we will require the following.
1. A green light from public health administrators
2. Completion of covid immunization
3. Lockdown orders to be ended
4. Adequate supplies of protective gear.
Social distancing measures will continue to be in effect indefinitely at this time. This will substantially reduce the number of patients that we can provide direct care in clinic for. It will limit numbers of people allowed in the clinic and eliminate the ability to drop in. The result will unfortunately increase the wait times substantially. Similar problems face many of our specialty colleagues, and we see similar wait time problems.
We are unable to schedule routine clinic care as the dates keep changing. July 14th 2021 seems to be the soonest that politicians and administrators may consider a green light.
When open, we will initially attempt to concentrate on the most outstanding lapse of care. Eg. we may book your pap and schedule later appointment for less pressing issues.
Industry and schools are often ignoring these rules and may compel you to ignore emergency orders to complete paperwork which is not considered urgent care. Please remind those that may do this of the emergency orders still in effect.
Virtual care, and electronic ordering of tests and results will continue to help with the backlog.
Our plans to open a building wide covid vaccine site have not been supported and therefore no vaccines are available at this time. Many vaccine questions arise that seemingly contradict earlier policies and advice. We suggest you contact peel public health for up to date advice on mixing vaccines, using expired vaccines, using non frozen vaccines , and accelerating intervals. We can assist you in booking a vaccine apt but face the same delays and non-responses that many of you do. We also have no access to the vaccine data base since it is not compatible with medical software and currently rely on you reporting to us when and which vaccine your recieved. If you could also report the lot no, it would be helpful in case of future problems.
We hope to see your smiling face soon. Please remain positive.