Open letter to the residents of Central Okanagan:
We are a group of doctors who work at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH).
We are all working on hospital hot spots hit by the increase in internal health COVID-19 cases in November and December.
At the beginning of 2021, we would like to: (1) summarize our community’s experience to date with the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) plead for renewed vigilance and strict compliance with the public health measures required in winter 2021.
First of all, we want to acknowledge how great Kelowna is to live, work and play with. In addition, KGH is an excellent hospital to work in.
The nurses, doctors and the entire health staff as well as the employees of KGH and our region have worked tirelessly, professionally and in good spirits throughout the pandemic.
The managers of our hospital have been calm and steadfast, and have made sure that we have the appropriate personal protective equipment and other support necessary to do our jobs effectively and safely.
In the summer and fall of 2020, we were fortunate to have our church not badly hit, with the exception of July when a cluster developed in Kelowna.
Fortunately, there were few hospitalizations at the time. In the early fall, when the number of COVID-19 cases increased dramatically in the US and increased in other parts of Canada and BC, it often seemed to us that COVID-19 had spared us.
At this point, the number of patients with COVID-19 for KGH was typically between zero and one. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.
It is important for residents to realize that we have entered a new phase in the fight against COVID-19. Every week the BCCDC publishes our COVID-19 numbers for the Kelowna and Central Okanagan areas.
Our region has had one of the most new cases per capita in recent weeks. These data are publicly available and help to paint a picture of the situation in our community.
Ongoing and rising COVID-19 rates in the community are leading to more COVID-19 hospitalizations and an associated number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in need of life support and critical care.
At KGH we are seeing clear effects of the second wave of COVID-19. In the emergency room we see a significant number of patients with COVID-19.
More and more people with COVID-19 require inpatient treatment. Our intensive care room has been reorganized to cater to the most severely affected.
Employees apply appropriate precautions and PPE in all areas.
Despite these new pressures, all patients continue to receive high quality and adequate care. KGH remains a safe place.
If you have a medical emergency, please come to your hospital and see a doctor.
To protect our hospital resources, health care workers, and vulnerable members in our community, we urge all residents to respect and follow public health guidelines.
These include:
• do not meet with people outside your own household
• Wear a mask and exercise physical distance in public
• Stay home when you are sick
• You will be given a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available this year
Like you, we are tired and tired of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our wish for 2021 is that everyone does their part in the difficult winter months ahead.
Get involved and protect yourself, your family, our hospital and our community.
We wish you and your family a happy and safe 2021.
Dr. Tony Kwan
Medical Director – Emergency Medicine, KGH
Dr. Scott Smith
Head of the hospital department, KGH
DR. Vikas Chaubey
Medical Director – Critical Care Services, KGH
City of Kelowna
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