Expecting over 900 new reported cases in Ontario today

Most of these new cases are in Toronto, Peel region and Ottawa. In Guelph things are a bit different. Guelph was averaging 5 or 6 new cases a day up until the last few days. Over the last few days, the numbers have declined with the seven day rolling average now below one. New cases in Guelph are not related to outbreaks in schools or long term care settings, they are community acquired; the result of gathering in groups outside our bubbles or close contact in public spaces. Private gatherings are the main source of spread of COVID 19 throughout the province. We are not immune to what is happening in these areas of the province where higher population densities are leading to an alarming number of new daily cases. In some areas, there are more patients that need beds then their are beds available. More sick patients than the hospital beds they needs. But that doesn't matter, right? It's just sick and old that will die, right? Think again. If hospitals, right now, today, are not able to accommodate patients....WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE SEE EVEN A MINOR UPTICK IN COVID 19 INFECTIONS? Our hospitals are already at capacity. The staff at our hospitals have been trying to clear a back log of surgeries. They are working triple over-time to get this done so that folks who have had their hip replacements, their knee replacements and the cancer surgeries postponed by the first wave of COVID 19, can finally get some relief of their suffering. Surgeries increase the number of people who require post-op beds and ICU beds. Our hospitals are not filled to capacity with COVID 19 patients, they are filled with patients who desperately needed care 5 months ago and had to wait. So, this is what will happen if people keep gathering. This is what will happen if you host that family gathering this weekend. What harm could it do anyway? We deserve to enjoy our families and friends right? We have been deprived for so long..... Your gathering will cause the uptick in cases that will put your hospital way beyond it's capacity and that is just the beginning. If your hospital is full, your emergency room is full. If that is full your after hours clinics get full and your family physicians office become overwhelmed. What happens when I am overwhelmed. Here is a possible scenario. I am so overwhelmed that I do not get a chance to return the call of the mother with a child who has a fever until later in the day. The fever gets worse but mom knows that there is an 8 hour wait in the emergency room so she hangs on, waiting for my call. Within a couple of hours, that child's temperature sky-rockets and the child has a seizure. Mom calls 911 and ends up in the emergency room....but it is too late. That fever and seizure were symptoms of a deadly meningitis. That's not an old person or a person with chronic illness, that's a child. I don't mean to be harsh. Well, maybe I do. It might be OK in some people's minds to not be too concerned if their actions cause the death of 'old' people. Is it OK with us for our actions to lead to the needless death of babies and young children? IT IS NOT OK WITH ME. The health and wellbeing of our society and the economic wellbeing of people who need to work will be in jeopardy if we do not follow the public health guidelines this weekend. The ultimate in our selflessness and compassion is required for the next fours days. Please. That's all I can say. Please. Anne-Marie Share widely!!

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