After a rough few days, health unit CEO Theresa Marentette is acknowledging the kindness of the community
A recent outpouring of support for health unit staff is helping to keep them moving.
As AM800 News reported on Wednesday, staff were visibly emotional during the daily COVID-19 update when reporting a record-increase of cases, as well as the death of a 27-year-old man with no underlying health conditions.
After a rough few days, health unit CEO Theresa Marentette is acknowledging the kindness of the community.
"In the past few days, we have truly felt appreciated and feel the outpouring of support from many of our residents," she says. "From our young students to our seniors, your letters, cards, e-mails, they mean a great deal to us and we want you to know that, so thank you very much."
Marentette says little gestures of kindness to the nursing staff and to herself and Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Ahmed, have really helped morale.
"Letters from students, from school students that actually have been part of the dismissed cohorts and valuing public health nurses and hospital nurses and indicating they're following the public health guidelines."
She says those letters and emails have also been received from faith leaders and other residents of Windsor-Essex.
"We know there's a lot of messaging going out from our health unit and with the school messaging and the school release of cohorts, it is disruptive to parents," she adds. "But the people who take the time to just let us know that they're appreciative, means a lot to our staff so, it's been nice."
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reporting an additional 111 cases of COVID-19 on Friday.
Of the new cases, 19 are from close contact with a confirmed positive case, two were community acquired and 83 are still under investigation