Thunder Bay hospital closing dedicated COVID-19 unit

The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is closing its dedicated COVID-19 unit on Thursday, but the physician heading up the hospital's pandemic response says that's not an indication the virus has disappeared.

"It's all related to how we're moving forward living with the realities of COVID-19," Dr. Stewart Kennedy said. "We know now this virus could be with us for quite some time, so we really need to get on a path where we learn to live with the virus."

"So, we need to continue on with our business."

Kennedy said the hospital needs to increase capacity to allow it to better provide other services, such as elective surgeries (the hospital is still working to address its elective surgery backlog, which Kennedy said could take "months and months").

There are currently no active cases of COVID-19 in the community. There is one patient with the virus at the hospital, Kennedy said.

But, he added, the TBRHSC will still keep COVID-19 procedures in place to properly handle any future cases.

And, Kennedy said, the hospital could bring back its COVID-19 unit if necessary.

"Once we get to seven COVID-19 patients in the hospital, we'll revert back to the unit," he said.

Visitation policies at the TBRHSC are also changing this week, Kennedy said, with care partners being permitted again for limited visitation hours.

Changes are also being made at the hospital's labour and delivery department.

"We're going to allow the partner into the C-section room and into the labour and delivery room to support their partner throughout the birthing process," KEnnedy said. "That was not allowed before."

"It's all dependent on how much PPE supply we will have, but we should have sufficient supply."

Visitation hours at the labour and delivery department are also being extended, he said.