The hospitals in Chatham-Kent have steps in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Chatham-Kent Hospital Alliance CEO Lori Marshall told reporters on Monday that hospital officials and staff are working very closely with Chatham-Kent Public Health to keep the community safe. The hospitals in Chatham and Wallaceburg have signs, hand sanitizer, and masks and are warning people to wash their hands and wear masks before entering the hospitals if they have flu-like symptoms. Patients are also asked if they have travelled outside of North America within the past 21 days and are asked about their symptoms.
Marshall said the hospital facilities are much better than during the 2003 SARS outbreak and the hospitals have negative pressure rooms to keep the virus contained in case they are needed for a coronavirus patient.
"We have in place the things to protect people and to protect our staff. We would just encourage everyone that if you're not feeling well, now is not the best time to visit people at the hospital," Marshall said.
Marshall said the risk of someone with the coronavirus coming to Chatham-kent is unknown at this time but added it's not out of the question because we're in a global economy and people should be careful.
"We're still in influenza season, good hand hygiene, use of the flu shot and maybe not going and visiting people if you're not feeling well," she added.
The hospitals in Chatham-Kent have steps in place to prevent the coronavirus. January 27, 2020. (Photo by Paul Pedro)
Marshall said the local hospitals are ready to handle the coronavirus if it ever gets here.
"You don't send a firefighter into a burning building without their equipment on and the same would be true now for staff and physicians when caring for individuals with a respiratory kind of illness. We make sure they have the proper equipment for themselves," Marshall said.
Marshall said hospitals and health officials are much more prepared than they were for SARS in 2003 because medical people know more about respiratory viruses and the protective equipment and staff training is much better than it was. SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, is a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus. SARS was first reported in Asia in February 2003.
Marshall also said hospital staff get tested every year to ensure their masks fit properly.
Marshall said there is a pandemic plan in place if there is a coronavirus outbreak in Chatham-Kent.
The deadly virus has shown evidence of human-to-human transmission.
The time from exposure to developing symptoms of the virus is between two and 14 days and it remains contagious during this time. Symptoms include fever, coughing and difficulty breathing.
