All of those who are not working at the moment have a little more time these days to reflect on what is, what was, and what will be—and Dr. Roy Kirkpatrick is no different.
With elective surgeries on hold at the hospital in order to focus on COVID-19 preparedness, he’s got a little more time on his hands these days. He does wonder what the backlog of non-emergency surgeries will be like once the pandemic measures have been lifted, and he’s on a provincial committee that’s trying to figure that out.
“When you think about the whole province of Ontario and all the people with cancer, and the people who have heart troubles and need heart surgery, and people who need transplants… it’s a big deal and a lot smarter people than me are going to have to figure it out, that’s for sure,” he said, referring to non-emergency operations being put on hold at the moment.
Kirkpatrick has also been thinking quite a bit about the influx of seasonal residents and visitors to the area and referred to the fact that there are tradespeople refusing to service seasonal cottages as “radical”.
“It’s an interesting world we’re living in right now,” noted the Huntsville surgeon. He’s been circulating a poster put together by an affiliate group of medical students associated with the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC), a national body made up of physicians in rural and remote communities. The students put together a rural travelers’ guide tip sheet advising people to think twice before camping or cottaging in rural areas and some dos and don’ts associated with the same.
(Download a PDF copy of the tipsheet here.)
“It’s good solid advice,” said Kirkpatrick, who is a member of SRPC, adding that the idea is to distribute it across the country where smaller seasonal communities may be in the same boat as Muskoka. He said people should be mindful that small hospitals may not have the resources that larger urban hospitals do at the best of times, and that consideration is particularly salient during a pandemic.
“I thought it just had good practical advice in it for people coming north and being sensitive to the local needs. It’s a great philosophical argument if somebody from down in the GTA has a place here and they’re paying taxes here, they have every bit as much a right to be here as I do. They probably pay more taxes than I pay. So, it’s not like we should be able to put a blockade across the road but if they’re coming, I thought there were some good pieces of practical advice for people coming. It’s common sense… but when we’re under stress sometimes we forget to use common sense,” he said.
“I think if I lived in the GTA and had a cottage here, I would feel that I had a right to come. I don’t challenge that, but that’s just my personal view,” he said, adding that passions do become inflamed during circumstances such as these, “and it’s hard to know what the right thing to do is.”
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MANY THANKS, DR. KIRKPATRICK! THE INFO POSTER IS GREAT, I HOPE TO SEE IT
ALL OVER MUSKOKA!
YOUR COMPASSION, SKILLS, AND DEDICATION ARE A BLESSING TO OUR COMMUNITY
AND THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, WHOSE LIVES YOU HAVE SAVED.
‘ABOVE AND BEYOND’ IS AN APT DESCRIPTION, I WOULD ADD KIND AND WISE, DOWN-
TO-EARTH.
IT SEEMS UNFAIR TO BRAND ALL ‘COTTAGERS’ WHO COME HERE, AS A ‘PROBLEM’.
I’M WITH STEPHEN RICHARDSON, IN THAT THERE WILL LIKELY BE SOME IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE, COMING HERE. I WOULD RATHER DISPLAY PATIENCE AND
EMPATHY, THAN RESENTMENT. HOW WE ‘PERMANENT RESIDENTS’ TREAT THEM
WILL REMAIN WITH ‘THEM’, AFTER THIS NIGHTMARE RESOLVES. FEAR BREEDS
COMTEMPT… WE NEED TO BE VIGILANT, IN PROTECTING OURSELVES, AND GENTLY
EDUCATE OTHERS IN OUR EXPECTATIONS OF THEIR (ERRONEOUS) BEHAVIOR, IN
OUR COMMUNITY. COVID IS SCARY, LIFE-THREATENING; NONE OF US WANTS THIS!!!
THE GOLDEN RULE… SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN. MAKE A GENUINE EFFORT TO
REMEMBER WE ARE ALL HUMAN, SCARED BY THIS HORRIBLE SITUATION, AND FIND
IN YOUR HEARTS TO GIVE KINDNESS A CHANCE. YOU JUST MIGHT RESPECT YOURSELF MORE, KNOWING YOU TRIED.
My question is how many of you have been tested do you know your status? I’m sure not much. my opinion is that alot of cottage resident have this disease. What is worse Spanish flue that infected 1/3 of the world population or covid-19?
Aside from the front line medical staff being taxed there are also numerous people at grocery chains and drug stores and many other businesses that continue to work and serve local residents as well as visitors. The risk is high for them. We live in one of the best areas there is in Ontario. Show them some appreciation and be understanding and sensible about the current situation. As Dr. K. points out. Be sensitive to others and maintain a safe distance travel only if necessary.
Concerned
Thanks, Roy. I have shared this with my nephew in Wakefield, QC, which is to Ottawa what Muskoka is to the GTA. They have the same issues.
Well done.
The rationing of Prescription Drugs is well
Underway !….A User .
Thank you KP! Wish the people that are here this weekend on our Lake could LISTEN!
Finally some common sense balanced advice instead of the panic driven nonsense I have been reading.
Good advise. Is it possible to have this printed in metropolitan areas. Ottawa, Hamilton , London GTA. It is non political and professional
As I have several doctors, it would be patently unfair to say that Dr. Roy is the best. I will say, however, that he belongs to more medical committees and boards; that he travels to more third world countries with Medecins sans Frontieres; and that he actually puts up with my off-the-wall humour.
That he is keeping “relatively” busy during these parlous times defines his distinguished career. Hearing about the stress experienced by cottagers trying to make this decision, truly disturbs me. Stress is not our friend at any time; and now it only serves to increase our vulnerability.
If you truly wish to come, and you or someone else can open your cottage (as necessary); then please follow the above rules, and come. Our medical system would NEVER discriminate between permanent and seasonal residents.
The fact is that very cottager that is justifying their decision to come here to their summer home is ignoring the pleas of public officials including Premier Ford, our mayor, the OPP and most importantly our front line health care workers who are putting their own lives at risk during this crisis.
You can try to justify it by telling yourself that you have taken every precaution, but the the most important precaution you have missed is staying at home in your primary residence where you can be sure you haven’t hastened the transmission of the virus to other communities.
It is known that many infected individuals are asymptomatic.
If you knew you could save a life by staying at home and putting off the cottage life for a few months, wouldn’t you do that?
The Travelers Tip Poster is excellent, those who do not follow it are being very irresponsible and disrespectful to everyone.
We should consider the advice and question ourselves if I or you came down with severe onset Covid where would I rather need to be for the urgent care I or you may need but the small rural hospital is at or over capacity caring for year road residents who have contracted Covid….How many hospitals do we have access to in a metropolitan area….. And how many when we go to the cottage..
Dr Kirkpatrick is the most caring Dr I think I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He went above and beyond what he had to do for me a few years ago and i’ll never forget him for what he did.
And he was working on March 20th took some stitches out of my arm LOL.
Stay safe and keep up the good work.
I and others I know are driving to Muskoka to maintain and enjoy their 4 season second properties. Every one of them that I have spoken with buy their groceries in the GTA and can leave the cottage for home within half an hour of any flu/virus symptoms and would do so. There may be some irresponsible people out there but I think they are few. I agree three season cottagers should probably hold off on coming up since their homes have been closed for several months.A while long won’t hurt. There is a reasonable approach and a common sense to be applied to this situation and I am hopeful that cottagers and permanent cottage country residents find it before ill will impacts our relationship.
I think that what came through so loud and clear to me is that Dr. Kirkpatrick’s professionalism, good advice and common sense comes packaged with compassion and non-judgment.
And I respect that he doesn’t feel that he has all the non-medical answers and demonstrates it with this remark, ” I think if I lived in the GTA and had a cottage here, I would feel that I had a right to come. I don’t challenge that, but that’s just my personal view,” he said, adding that passions do become inflamed during circumstances such as these, “and it’s hard to know what the right thing to do is.
The travellers’s tips poster is excellent and hopefully those who need that advice will heed it.
FYI – from his wife….In addition to thinking about tip sheets, Roy is also going to work…… (or at least that’s where he tells me he’s going…..LOL)