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Vol. 11, Issue 14
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
National Doctors’ Day is Friday May 1
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remains committed to bringing you the local news and the paper will continue to be published. However, at this time our office is CLOSED to the public until further notice. In the meantime, we can be reached at sun@southpointsun.ca. We thank you for your understanding.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT SHINING THROUGH
The scene surrounding Erie Shores HealthCare on Monday evening was loud and celebratory as the Facebook group ‘Leamington Area Birthday and Frontline and Essential Workers Cruises’ made their way around the block several times. The group, started by Jeff Reneau, does organized drive-bys for birthdays and health care workers in the Leamington, Kingsville and Wheatley area. Monday’s cruise brought out over 25 vehicles. They did two birthday drive-bys and several area nursing homes before the hospital. Sun photo
Province unveils staged plan to gradually lift restrictions By Mark Ribble TORONTO — The Ontario government unveiled plans on Monday, April 27, to gradually re-open the provincial economy. Premier Doug Ford cautioned that we must continue to keep safety in mind as we roll forward with the plan, to avoid the need to start over in the fight against COVID-19. With major input from the provincial medical community, the Premier announced that the plan will be rolled out in stages. Stage one will allow for the opening of select workplaces. They will open some outdoor spaces such as parks, allowing some small gatherings such as funerals - all the while continuing with social distancing. Hospitals will begin to offer some non-urgent and scheduled surgeries and other health care services. Stage two will follow after a two-tofour week period to make sure stage one is working well. It would include opening more workplaces, including
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service industries, offices and retail. Stage three will again follow after a period of time to confirm that there is no rebound of the disease. It will include the opening of all workplaces, further relaxing of restrictions on public gatherings. Large public gatherings like concerts and sporting events will be restricted for the foreseeable future. Ontarians will also need to continue with physical distancing. Premier Ford stressed that these stages will allow for a responsible re-opening of the province. “This is a roadmap, not a calendar”, he said. However, Ford is confident that Ontario will bounce back better than ever. “Ontario will bounce back better than anyone could have expected”, he said. “This will ramp up in ways this province has never seen”, he added. No date has been determined for the stage one roll-out of this plan, but Ford expects it will come soon and a timeline should follow in coming weeks.
By Mark Ribble LEAMINGTON — National Doctors’ Day is celebrated on May 1 each year in Canada. It celebrates physicians across Canada in memory of Dr. Emily Stowe, who was Canada’s first female physician. T h i s F r i d a y, Doctors’ Day will be observed with a little more DR. ROSS MONCUR attention as the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sun spoke to Erie Shores HealthCare’s Chief of Staff, Dr. Ross Moncur about the observance of Doctors’ Day this week and whether it carries more meaning this year than in the past. “The past two months have certainly brought different challenges to doctors throughout the world”, he said. “We have seen many physicians locally step up and go well above and beyond to put plans in place and care
for patients in extraordinary ways.” Dr. Moncur added, “Doctor’s Day occurring simultaneously with these efforts provides a great opportunity to reflect on this.” Dr. Moncur has been Chief of Staff at Erie Shores HealthCare for the past two-and-a-half years. There, he oversees a core team of about 40 physicians, with an overall total of about 150 physicians that include various specialists who visit the hospital on a rotating basis. With regard to the hospital dealing with nonCOVID emergencies and treatments, he stresses that there have been polices in place since March 8 to minimize non-urgent services, diagnostic procedures and surgeries. “This has been very difficult for physicians, as we are accustomed to advocating for the most efficient and timely care for our patients, and we hate to see our patients face delays”, he said. “But the team has come together DOCTORS - Page 2
A cross-section of doctors at Erie Shores HealthCare.
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