The worst is yet to come as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to spread like wildfire.
This from Windsor Regional Hospital President and CEO David Musyj who says the next two weeks are critical as projections show cases skyrocketing across the region.
He says the hospital's resources and capacity are going to be stretched to the limit.
"Even though the individuals with two or three doses, generally, will not require hospitalization, just because it's going to be impacting so many people, even a small percentage of those individuals needing hospital care results in a large number."
Musyj says it's going to be a tough couple of weeks.
"We haven't seen the full impact of Omicron in our community and definitely not in the hospitals for another couple of weeks. Then we're going to feel the full brunt of Omicron in Windsor-Essex. The weeks we have to be concerned about are definitely January 10 and January 17, for sure."
He says the hospital has already started redeploying staff in preparation for the incoming wave.
"What we know about Omicron and what they're ready for and what we've seen in other jurisdictions is it hits quickly. We're just right at the start. We're not where it's going to be when it comes to pressures on the health care system in Windsor-Essex."
Musyj says one positive is the Omicron variant spreads quickly — meaning the surge in cases will likely come to an end quickly as well.
As of Thursday afternoon, there were 44 local residents in hospital with six in intensive care.