The upcoming holiday season is traditionally a time to gather with family and friends. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, other faith based holidays and traditions, or simply enjoy the festivities of the season, we look forward to parties and family dinners and get-togethers.

The arrival of a vaccine against COVID-19 is a reason to celebrate as it heralds the beginning of (we hope) the end of the pandemic. However, we can’t allow ourselves to relax our focus on preventing the further spread of COVID. We need to continue to limit our gatherings to our immediate household, forego travel to visit friends, family and relatives, maintain our distance from others and wear a mask in public spaces. These measures are going to continue to be crucial to containing the virus while the immunization campaign moves forward.

The Lady Minto Hospital will remain open through the holiday season for Emergency, for lab and medical imaging (X-ray) services, as well as for admissions to acute care. Hospital staff and physicians are working closely with our counterparts across Island Health to ensure that we have the safest protocols for infection control in place. On arrival at the hospital, staff will ask you screening questions to assess potential risk of COVID-19 exposure or infection. Please answer honestly. You will always receive high quality care but we may take extra precautions. This may necessitate a little extra time in accessing some services but these measures are designed to keep all of us safe and healthy.

Going into the holiday season, we ask you to consider your plans carefully. There are numerous options for virtual get-togethers and Salt Springers are known for creativity and ingenuity. If at all possible, don’t travel off the island and don’t encourage others – including family members - to come to the island. We can all look forward to the day when we can welcome visitors again but now is not the time.

The medical staff of Lady Minto Hospital wish you a healthy and happy holiday season and a happy COVID-19 free New Year.