Local Journalism Initiative
Already in ‘crisis mode’, Ontario hospitals have no protocol for who gets priority treatment, human rights advocates say
As ICU beds continue to fill up, a nightmare is looming. Doctors in Ontario could soon be forced to undergo the harrowing process their peers in Italy and New York experienced in the spring – choosing who lives and dies when intensive care reaches its maximum capacity. That’s the question many fear as COVID-19 patients continue to pile into intensive care beds in Ontario. In Peel Region, hospitals are at breaking point, cancelling surgeries and transferring some patients to neighbouring sites. Wednesday saw 361 ICU beds occupied across Ontario, the highest number since the pandemic began. A field hospital in Burlington has opened its doors, signalling the need to begin using emergency backup resources. Mississauga’s intensive…
