Lethbridge ICU near capacity with COVID patients, doctors urge action

Dr. Sean Wilde, the main author of the letter addressed to the public, told LNN that it has happened several times in recent weeks where as many as 10 out of 14 ICU beds at Chinook Regional Hospital have been occupied by just COVID patients.

“We are running close to capacity in our ICU, and given that case spikes in the community tend to result in delayed presentations to hospital and need for intensive care, our concern is that, as we’re running near capacity now, as we start to spike our cases, that means we may be struggling to care for everybody in the future.”

At the tail end of the second wave in early 2021, ICUs in Lethbridge remained at capacity long after case numbers had been dropping steadily.

Across the South Zone, there are only two medical centres with ICU beds – Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat Regional Hospital.

“The concern always has been, since the beginning of the pandemic, that the more critical care resources are needed for COVID patients, there are fewer resources available for other healthcare needs, which, of course, still exist, and when there’s not enough resources in the system, then care for all conditions can suffer.”

The onset of the pandemic has caused numerous surgeries and other medical procedures in Alberta to be delayed. The medical officials writing this letter say are hoping that this will not happen again so Albertans can get the care they need in an appropriate amount of time.

Dr. Wilde says, in Alberta, the average age of patients in intensive care with COVID-19 is 58.

“We’ve tried to keep it simple in this letter in describing the conditions that are the most likely to cause spread and that is groups of people indoors without masks for long periods of time, so essentially any measures or changes that are limiting those circumstances are going to help.”

Although the group of practicing physicians are not advocating for any specific measures, Dr. Wilde says face masks, particularly multi-layered masks, have been proven to be effective at limiting the spread of droplets that can cause COVID-19.

He is also encouraging the public to limit close contact with people outside of their homes and avoiding large groups in general.

The letter from 40 local doctors is available below:

“A Message from Southern Alberta Doctors

We are writing to publicly express our concern about the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Alberta, and specifically Lethbridge and the surrounding area. As of March 27th, we have 508 active cases in the City of Lethbridge, and the numbers have been generally increasing. At the height of the second wave, we never reached or exceeded 300 active cases. It is important to remember that COVID hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths always trail increases in cases by 2-3 weeks. ICU demand can stretch even longer due to the prolonged stays required by the seriously ill. Although not widely made known, the Lethbridge ICU was at capacity during the tail end of the second wave, long after case numbers had been dropping for some time. It is a disease that is stubbornly persistent when it hits hard. Alberta has seen a consistent case fatality rate of 1.4%, and a hospitalization rate of 4.4%. A simplified projection suggests that each day we add 50 cases, we can expect to need another 2-3 hospital beds within the next 2 weeks, occupied for 3-10 days depending on severity. Our ICU also needs to cover severely ill patients in surrounding rural areas. As of last report, the south zone currently has the highest per capita rate of COVID hospitalizations in the province, and 10/14 ICU beds occupied by COVID patients.

We are all tired of the pandemic, the restrictions and the overwhelming impact it has had on our lives. Fortunately, with the vaccine rollout progressing the end is in sight, but we are not there yet. We ask the public and government officials to recognize that individuals and the health care system are both still at risk. Southern Alberta has been fortunate thus far to have escaped much of the damage this virus has inflicted elsewhere around the world, and that is in large part thanks to the collective efforts of so many of our citizens who have made safe and smart choices to protect themselves and others. The unprecedented lifestyle upheavals we have experienced over the past year are the reason we have escaped many of the dire projections of the past.

While we are fortunate that many of our most at risk of death seniors are now vaccinated, it is important to remember that the average age of a COVID ICU patient in Alberta is 58. Those with the most severe baseline health and fragility are often not admitted to the ICU as intensive care can be too invasive and taxing for the body to meaningfully recover from. The ICU is primarily a tool to keep alive those who are young and healthy enough to recover from a severe infection once it has run its course. If the ICU is unable to meet demand, those who could otherwise be kept alive are at greater risk. While evidence suggests the vaccines still prevent severe disease from the ever expanding variants of concern, there is still not enough data to know how well they prevent transmission. For that reason, even vaccinated people are currently still required to quarantine and miss work if exposed. This means we are still at risk of hospital staff shortages due to occupational or community exposure to COVID-19. Furthermore, in Alberta, family physicians and many other community (non-hospital) based health care providers still have not been offered vaccination. They continue to work at risk in a community with rising transmission.

We do not wish to instill fear, but do advise ongoing caution, and wise decisions. We join our voices to those of other physicians encouraging the provincial government to do its part to get Alberta over the finish line without an even larger third wave, vaccinate all front-line health care workers, and prepare for the additional health care resources that may be required in the south zone. Regardless of government action, we ask everyone to continue to do their part to protect themselves and others by taking efforts to limit community transmission. If we continue to look for ways to be safe, rather than for loopholes and exceptions, we can protect lives and livelihoods over the next few months. We know COVID-19 is most likely to spread where people are gathered in close proximity, unmasked, indoors for prolonged periods of time. Making efforts to distance, wear a mask (2 or 3 layers are superior to 1), meet outdoors where possible, and limit time together where any of those is not possible will reduce the risk of transmission. Limiting contact with individuals outside of a small cohort will also break community transmission chains.

Thank-you to all of you who have been doing your part this past year to combat COVID-19 and support the health care community. We know it has not been easy. Please keep up the efforts to prevent our community and hospital from being overrun by this virus. The vaccines are safe and are the best path back to normalcy. Please receive whichever one you are offered as soon as you are able. Eligible health care workers have happily received theirs in large numbers, and those not yet eligible are anxious to as well. The end is in sight, but let’s finish it properly and save lives.

With concern,

Dr Tavish Barnes MD FRCPC (Critical Care)- Lethbridge

Dr Parveen Boora MD FRCSC (General Surgery)- Lethbridge

Dr Richard Buck MD CCFP(EM) (Emergency Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Susan Byers MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Rhona Capisonda MD FRCPC (Pediatrics)- Chinook Pediatric Clinic

Dr Tara Daley MD FRCSC (Obstetrics and Gynecology)- Lethbridge

Dr Ehi Eyayi MD CCFP(EM) (Emergency Medicine)

Dr Kevin Foster MD CCFP(EM) (Emergency Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Tony Gomes MD FRCSC (General Surgery)- Lethbridge

Dr Charlotte Haig MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Nic Hamilton MD CCFP(EM) (Emergency Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Andrea Hargrove MD CCFP (Rural Family Medicine)- Taber

Dr John Holland MD FRCPC (Pediatrics)- Chinook Pediatric Clinic

Dr Cathy Horsman MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Medicine Hat

Dr Rozemin Kizuk MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Peter Kwan MD CCFP(EM) (Emergency Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Jay Malach MD FRCSC (Obstetrics and Gynecology)- Lethbridge

Dr Bilal Mir MD CCFP(EM) (Emergency Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Victor Onyebukwa MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Lee Oviatt MD FRCPC (Respiratory Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Paul Parks MD CCFP(EM) (Emergency Medicine)- Medicine Hat

Dr Kristy Penner MD CCFP (Rural Family Medicine)- Crowsnest Pass

Dr Karen Robertson MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Vanessa Rogers MD CCFP (Rural Family Medicine)- Crowsnest Pass

Dr Hollis Roth MD CCFP(PC) (Palliative Care)- Lethbridge

Dr Sharon Rowan MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Ghazala Saif MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Melissa Setiawan MD FRCPC (Anesthesia)- Lethbridge

Dr Parisa Shamsi Shahrabadi MD CCFP (Rural Family Medicine)- Crowsnest Pass

Dr Gregory Smith MD CCFP (Rural Family Medicine)- Raymond

Dr Julie Smith MD CCFP(EM) FCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Sean Spence MD FRCPC (Critical Care)- Lethbridge

Dr Adrienne Stedford MD CCFP (EM-PGY3)

Dr Michelle Thibodeau MD CCFP (Family and Hospital Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Jessica van der Sloot MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Iffat Waheed MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Nicoelle Wanner MD CCFP (Family Medicine)- Medicine Hat

Dr Dionne Walsh MD CCFP(PC) (Palliative Care)- Lethbridge

Dr Adam Wiebe MD CCFP (Family and Hospital Medicine)- Lethbridge

Dr Sean Wilde MD CCFP(EM) (Emergency Medicine)- Lethbridge”

by David Opinko

Lethbridge ICU near capacity with COVID patients, doctors urge action

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