THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s regional hospital says it’s not yet ready to allow patient visits, despite a recommendation from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Dr. David Williams recommended easing visitor policies in a memo to all public and private hospitals in the province on June 15.
“Visits from family and caregivers, and other visitors contribute greatly to a patient’s quality of life and well-being,” he wrote. “In recognition of the importance of the role of visitation, I recommend acute care settings begin the resumption of visitors.”
“Existing visitor policies regarding essential visitors should be revised accordingly to allow visits by family/caregivers and other types of visitors.”
It’s advice the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre isn’t ready to follow.
Dr. Stewart Kennedy, who heads the hospital’s COVID-19 response, said in a statement Saturday the hospital understands the restrictions have been hard for patients and family alike. But Kennedy said the easing of provincial restrictions, allowing more people to travel in and out of the city from other regions, introduced unknown risks.
“We know there’s still a significant community spread in eastern Ontario and Quebec, so we don’t know how the loosened travel restrictions will affect Thunder Bay,” he said. “Our team has met and we’ve laboured over this, but at this point in time we are not ready to ease those rules.”
Kennedy emphasized the rules were in place to protect both patients and staff, and would continue to be reviewed.
Currently, only “essential care partners” are allowed to enter the hospital. That includes a parent or guardian of sick children and youth, and a care partner for those at risk of imminent death, those undergoing surgery, and women giving birth. Those restrictions have been in place since March.
