卫生部长说，IWK急诊室的大量访问“并不意外”

卫生部长米歇尔·汤普森（Michelle Thompson）说，卫生与保健部正在努力帮助IWK，以持续的大量儿童前往急诊科。

As Yvette d’Entremont reported earlier Wednesday，IWK急诊室今年春天看到大量访问。IWK健康中心急诊室负责人卡特里娜·赫利（Katrina Hurley）博士在接受采访时说：“我们部门的数量实际上是在图表上。”

这是远高于是典型的这个时候year, and in fact it’s almost the highest volume we’ve ever experienced. It’s higher than what we experienced in the fall when we had that surge of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). It’s the highest volume we’ve ever seen in spring, and the only time busier than what we have right now is January, February of 2020 when we had influenza that predated COVID.

According to figures provided by Hurley, 178 patients visited the IWK’s emergency department on Monday. Hurley said on the department’s busiest day on record, they saw 180 patients.

On Wednesday afternoon, Thompson said the Department of Health and Wellness has authorized additional funding for two nurse practitioners and another doctor to cope with the surge in young patients. She said that decision was made “within the last several days.” The minister was asked if she was “surprised” by the surge in admissions at the IWK after masks in schools became optional, although mask wearing was still recommended in schools. Thompson said the numbers of visits to the emergency department were “not unexpected.”

汤普森说：“时机是不寻常的。”“我们通常在今年早些时候看到这些呼吸系统疾病。在过去的两年中，我们一直在练习公共卫生措施，因此本赛季已经延迟了。随着我们开始对使用公共卫生措施的更多选择，我们可以期望看到其中的一些增加。”

Thompson added that typical childhood diseases, such as Hand-foot-and-mouth disease and influenza, were all but non-existent during the first two years of the pandemic, but they have been making a comeback in the past six weeks. That’s about the same time the Houston government made masking optional in schools and lifted other public health measures, as well.

Reporters also asked Thompson when Nova Scotians under the age of 70 would become eligible for a second booster shot to prevent getting hospitalized with the latest Omicron variant. Thompson says Nova Scotia is closely following the advice of NACI, which has not recommended other age groups need to receive a second booster.

The wording in the April 5, 2022 guidance from NACI is more ambiguous and uses the word “may” rather than “must.” It reads: “A second booster dose among adults younger than 70 years of age in or from First Nations, Métis, or Inuit communities may be considered.”

安大略省和魁北克等其他省份已经向大量更年轻的人​​口提供了疫苗，以减少社区的传播并减少对医院的影响。

询问汤普森（Thompson）是否可能已经到期了，其中一些送往新斯科舍省的疫苗供应是否已过期，不得不被摧毁。部长承认这是可能的，并说该问题应转交给公共卫生。几个月前，该免疫计划似乎停滞不前，第二次接种疫苗接种的人数为65％。

Public health officials say getting two vaccinations makes an individual far less likely to be hospitalized or die if they get the COVID virus.

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