For 1st time since March, Southlake Regional Health Centre has no COVID-19 patients

Southlake hospital expresses gratitude to doctors, staff and the ‘outpouring support’ that helped boost morale

Yorkregion.com
July 28, 2020

Amid fear of a second wave of COVID-19, there is some good news to share.

Southlake Regional Health Centre said on July 27 that it has “zero COVID-19 positive patients” at the Newmarket-based hospital for the first time since March 16, the day it received its first patient suffering from this novel coronavirus.

March 16 is also a day before Ontario declared a provincewide emergency and days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic.

At its peak, Southlake had 20 patients in COVID units and 10 in the intensive care unit. Over the span of the pandemic, more than 95 patients have been hospitalized at Southlake with the virus.

 “This is a testament to thediligence and teamwork of Southlake staff and physicians,” said Arden Krystal, president and CEO, Southlake Regional Health Centre.

Krystal added, “It has been a taxing time but our collective resolve to work together to keep everyone as safe as possible was critical to our success in managing COVID-19 at Southlake.”

The president also described how the “power of many is one of those values I was reminded of as I walked the halls throughout this pandemic.”

After “countless staff being redeployed” and “numerous processes changed ... I am so proud of our staff,” Krystal concluded.

Dr. Steven Beatty, chief of staff at Southlake, also expressed gratitude to “all staff and physicians” at Southlake, “as well as our partners across the health-care system, for their continued support and vigilance.”

Beatty, meanwhile, praised the staff’s “adherence to infection prevention protocols,” which “played a significant role in patient recovery and staff safety.”

“Even though our last COVID-19 patient has been discharged, these practices will continue, as the pandemic is not over,” Beatty added.

In its press release, the hospital commended the community’s support which “has significantly helped to boost the morale of staff and physicians during this time and Southlake is grateful.”

The community’s “outpouring support” and kind gestures include “meals and free coffee provided for staff, drive-by parades, donations of PPE, letters of support and handmade cards, and so much more.”

The hospital cited “other victories” of how patients were able to survive COVID-19 and safely returned home to their families.