More than 40 Sault Area Hospital staff off work after testing positive for COVID-19

Sault Area Hospital is adapting as some of its staff are absent due to having contracted COVID-19.

“As of this morning, we have 44 workers who are off due to testing positive for COVID-19 and a number of others are off isolating due to a positive household member,” said Brandy Sharp Young, SAH spokesperson in an email Friday.

To address staffing challenges, SAH has surge and critical staffing plans in place for each department in the hospital and its teams are shifting resources and assigning staff elsewhere within the organization.

“The reinstatement of Directive 2, which paused all non-urgent surgeries earlier this week to create more capacity is helping with our ability to address these challenges,” Sharp Young said.

Health care professionals at SAH are considering rescheduling in-person visits to virtual visits or phone appointments or rescheduling in-person visits to a later date when appropriate to support the redeployment of staff.  

“We understand the impact of cancelled surgeries and procedures and changes to appointments is difficult for patients. These changes will be completed with care and consideration for the needs of all patients. All urgent and emergent surgeries and procedures will continue to be provided,” Sharp Young said.

As of Friday, SAH has had 10 COVID-19 admissions. Two admitted patients are in the ICU.

“We have every expectation that this will increase,” Sharp Young said.

The situation at SAH is not unique, as other hospitals are reporting staff shortages due to COVID-19 breaking out within their teams.

SAH is asking the public to follow public health guidelines, get vaccinated, and if eligible, to get the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.