Dr. Moore’s advice for the upcoming holiday season
Kingston’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore released a new video this week, telling Kingston, Frontenac Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) constituents they could be on course for a COVID-19 “disaster.”
“We’re in a higher risk environment now,” he said on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. “Our case counts have never been so high. Our risk in the community has never been so high. Now we have individuals that have been hospitalized, and we’ve got multiple point-source outbreaks in our community.”
Dr. Moore said that it’s not the setup he’d hoped for heading into the holiday season.
“We understood that people would want to socialize and to get together, like they have done on previous holidays. But with this trajectory, it is a setting for disaster for our community.”
KFL&A Public Health confirmed 20 further cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. The community has an all-time high of 115 confirmed active cases, with two COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unity (ICU).
“We can get through this but I’m asking you to wait, especially to visit the elderly or anyone with a chronic disease or risk for COVID-19. We don’t want this holiday season to be a high-risk transmission … when we’re already seeing risk accelerate in the community,” he said.
Dr. Moore is asking people to keep their holiday celebrations to their immediate households. “We do not want to spread this virus. Please, consider using any virtual means to keep connected… through this difficult time.”
He suggested that by next winter, elderly or at high-risk individuals should all be vaccinated against COVID-19 and able to enjoy the holiday with their families again.
He also asked eldery and vulnerable constituents to take advantage of online order, curbside pickup and take-out options, rather than entering stores.
“Continue to support our local economy because our local economy is suffering as a result of COVID-19,” he said.
“I’m just trying to be frank and honest with you,” he added. “We don’t want to head into January with higher rates than we already are now…This holiday season please show restraint. It’s going to be difficult. We will get through this.”