'It's going to be bumpy': CHEO preparing for the fall respiratory virus season
CHEO is preparing for a bumpy respiratory virus season in Ottawa, as COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses continue to circulate in the community.
Ottawa Public Health says wastewater surveillance shows COVID-19 levels are "very high" in Ottawa this week, while RSV levels are "moderate."
Last fall, the children's hospital was forced to cancel some surgeries and procedures, open a second pediatric intensive care unit, redeploy staff from surgical and medical care units and call in the Canadian Red Cross due to a spike in respiratory virus cases. This fall, CHEO says it is better prepared for the respiratory virus season.
"The health system is much more resilient this fall than we were at this time last year," Tammy DeGiovanni, senior vice-president of clinical services and chief nurse executive, told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron.
"We know it's going to be bumpy with the season ahead, but we're much stronger than we were at this time last year."
CHEO is currently seeing over 200 children a day in the emergency department, and is dealing with staffing shortages like most health care institutions in Ontario.
However, DeGiovanni says CHEO has undertaken a number of initiatives to prepare for the upcoming respiratory virus season.
"We've had an expansion in our critical care unit, so we have additional critical care beds, and we've had investments in our emergency department as well," DeGiovanni said Thursday afternoon.
"We've been able to see more kids through emergency, as well as have urgent care centres set up."
In July, the Ontario government announced an investment of $330 million a year into pediatric health services to connect children and youth to care closer to home.
DeGiovanni says as RSV and COVID circulating in the community drives some of the viral activity in Ottawa, it will be important to roll up your sleeve this fall to get the COVID-19 booster shot and influenza shot.
"That's another thing in our tool belt this year I think we should be taking advantage of," DeGiovanni said, noting the flu shot and COVID booster are "very good matches" for the viruses circulating.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.