Triple threat risks overwhelming hospitals during 'unpredictable' virus season: Doctors Manitoba
96% of Manitoba doctors who responded to survey are concerned hospitals may be overwhelmed
Doctors are warning Manitobans to prepare for a "triple threat" respiratory virus season, as a combination of COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases risks overwhelming hospitals in the province.
"This triple virus threat is a serious risk for many Manitobans, sometimes resulting in hospitalization, intensive care or even death," said Dr. Candace Bradshaw, president of Doctors Manitoba, at a news conference on Wednesday.
Her organization recommends that Manitobans slow the spread of respiratory illness in the coming months by getting their flu shot and COVID-19 booster, wearing a mask in crowded and poorly ventilated public spaces, washing their hands frequently and staying home when they are sick.
"We're already seeing signs of hospitals struggling to keep up with rapidly increasing patient volumes," Bradshaw said.
Hospitals currently dealing with an influx of patients include emergency rooms at the Children's and St. Boniface hospitals, she said.
An October survey of Manitoba physicians suggested that 96 per cent of doctors in the province are concerned that hospitals may be overwhelmed in the fall and winter.
In the same survey, 95 per cent of the doctors who responded said they have received or plan to receive their fall COVID-19 booster and flu shot.
"Physicians are confident that the flu shot and the COVID booster shot are effective and safe. Vaccines work," Bradshaw said.
In a Wednesday news release, Doctors Manitoba warned people to prepare now for "an unpredictable respiratory virus season" by ensuring that their households have a plan in place for when someone gets sick, as well as an adequate supply of rapid COVID-19 tests and good-quality masks, such as medical and KN95 masks.
"Whether or not you're at increased risk from these viruses, your help is needed to slow the spread," Bradshaw said at Wednesday's news conference.
WATCH | Dr. Candace Bradshaw says kids with broken bones are having to wait for care:
She said parents thinking about taking their sick children to a hospital should try calling Health Links or their primary care office for advice first. Parents who do end up taking their kids to a hospital should brace themselves for a wait, she said.
"Understand that we're doing the best we can and we do want to help you."
It is also becoming difficult for hospitals to care for kids with broken bones, she said, because there are sicker children and babies being admitted who need to be prioritized.
On Sunday, 201 children were taken to the Children's Hospital's emergency department — a number that Bradshaw said "is absolutely phenomenal."
"This is really, really concerning, and it's something that I have never seen or heard of."
'Incredible pressure' for daycare
The recent widespread circulation of respiratory illness also puts "incredible pressure" on staff at Niigaanaki Daycare, executive director Lois Coward said.
"We've noticed in the last six weeks that our attendance has been getting lower and lower," Coward said.
While 30 children are enrolled at the daycare, attendance has been averaging in the single digits recently, she said.
"All because of respiratory viruses," she told CBC. "It's definitely the first time I've seen it in my 34 years of child care."
Staff members are also falling ill.
"They get to be here while the other ones are ill, and then they almost switch places each week, because you're just so run down and then you catch something."
She doesn't expect things to get better until spring, and her daycare is prepared to work with public health if serious outbreaks occur, she said.
No mask mandate: Dr. Roussin
Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says the return of typical viruses such as the flu and RSV came earlier than usual this year, and they're hitting Manitobans harder than in previous years.
In a Wednesday interview with CBC, he said he suspects reasons for the surge may include a lack of gathering restrictions and the fact that many children may have not been exposed to such viruses before.
Like Doctors Manitoba, the province is encouraging Manitobans to wear masks, wash their hands, get their flu and COVID-19 shots, and stay home when sick, Roussin said.
"All of these are things that Manitobans can choose to improve their respiratory virus season protection."
There is no vaccine for RSV, and uptake for the flu shot among younger age groups is at six per cent — which is not where the province wants it to be, he said.
There are also no tests for RSV, but transmission is clearly widespread in Manitoba.
Despite the risk of overwhelmed hospitals, the province does not currently intend to reintroduce a mask mandate, said Roussin.
"These viruses are not new, and these types of challenges are not new," he said. "Masks are especially useful…. What we don't want to see are mandates."
But the province is prepared to act if needed, he said.
"If there is a need for public health to intervene with further messaging, or other uses of public health, then we will, [but] there's just no use to remove options right now."
But Coward said she believes the surge in respiratory illness is due in part to a lack of mask requirements outside her daycare.
She also notes children are prone to putting toys in their mouths and sneezing without covering their mouths, making it easy for respiratory illness to circulate.
Although staff have been cleaning the daycare with bleach three times a day, that has not been enough, Coward said.
Over half of the daycare's usual attendees were sick at home on Wednesday, she said.
"It's pretty contagious, whatever's going around.… I've never seen this many children away at once for such a long period of time."
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With files from Jérémie Bergeron and Alana Cole