Hospital Activates COVID-19 Response Level Grey
by Tracie Smith
In response to the increase in cases of COVID-19 in our community, combined with the pressures on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and a COVID-19 outbreak on the 1A Medical Unit, TBRHSC is now in Level Grey (Lockdown). The health and safety of all staff, professional staff, patients and the community is the utmost priority of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). In response to the increase in cases of COVID-19 in our community, combined with the pressures on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and a COVID-19 outbreak on the 1A Medical Unit, TBRHSC is now in Level Grey (Lockdown).
There are currently 22 intensive care patients admitted to TBRHSC. Of those, 19 are on ventilators. In addition, due to the outbreak, the 24 beds in the 1A Medical Unit are unavailable for admissions. Level Grey stimulates actions that increase the availability of critical care service for those in need. These include:
- transferring to southern Ontario of some patients from our ICU to hospitals with more ICU capacity;
- diverting to southern Ontario Critical Care patients who would otherwise be transferred from regional communities to our hospital, except those with life and limb needs;
- further reducing elective procedures;
- enhanced collaboration with health system partners to transfer patients to other appropriate care locations.
These measures enable the following at TBRHSC:
- available space in the ICU to accept patients in need of critical care;
- further expansion of the dedicated COVID-19 Care Unit as needed to meet increasing needs;
- ensuring the availability of clinical and support staff to work in areas of highest need;
- continuation of emergent surgeries;
- reduced traffic in the hospital to minimize the risk of spread of infection.
TBRHSC remains a safe place for people to access urgent care.
