COVID didn't break Manitoba hospitals but long-term effects unclear, chief nurse tells court

Manitoba's chief nursing officer acknowledged in court Wednesday that hospitals adapted to the increased demand of COVID-19, but cautioned the full consequences of thatare still unknown.

Under cross-examination, Lanette Siragusa, who servesas co-incident commander of Manitoba's COVID-19response,agreed with the assessment of lawyer Jared Brown, who represents the plaintiffs in the case,that the health-care system "did not break" under the strain of the novel coronavirus.

"Yes, we were able to accommodate the people who came in, and we alsomade some sacrificesthe elective procedures, some people that didn't come to the hospital thatmaybe should have," Siragusa said. "There's a trade-off."

Siragusatestified Wednesday as part of a hearing launched by seven rural churches and threeindividuals who arechallengingthe public health restrictions imposed by the province of Manitoba in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic.

Brown presented Siragusa withwhat he called "eye-popping numbers" from provincial statistics, which he said showalcohol-related hospitalizations spiked by 112 per cent from April to August of 2020, and opioid-related visits to an emergency department or urgent care centre increased by 240 per cent in the same time.

Brown said thenumber of Manitobans hospitalized with "intentional injuries"grew by 109 per cent during the same time period, according to the provincial statistics, which are part of a future witness's affidavit.

Health-care system handled it: lawyer

"Even though the system was well-used by both COVID[patients]and the sudden increase in these non-COVID matters, the system did not break," Brown told the court. "The system was able to accommodate the presentations that came to it."

The group of churches and individuals he representsargue the pandemic public health ordersare excessive and have violated theCharterfreedoms of conscience, religion, expression and peaceful assembly.

Jay Bhattacharya, a keywitness for the plaintiffs who testified on Tuesday, said the various lockdowns are harming thehealth outcomes of non-infected individuals.

The province's lawyers say the restrictionsarereasonable measures in the face of thepandemic, which has so far led to 40,085 COVID-19 cases in Manitoba and 982 deaths from the illness.

Siragusatold the court Wednesday she isn't responsible for creating Manitoba's public health orders but provides feedback based on her role in assessing the health-care system's capacity.

When asked if she "broadly supports" Manitoba's pandemic restrictions sofar, she saidshe does.

In court Wednesday, Siragusa disputedBrown's contentionthe province's intensive care units could have supported dozens of additional patients.

He referred to last November's announcement that Manitoba could expandICU capacity during the pandemic's second wave to 173 beds. Siragusa wrote in a Marchaffidavitthat 129 patients were in intensive care at the time.

Brownsuggested the vacanciesshow Manitoba's health-care system could accommodatemore patients, but Siragusa disputed that argument.

"WithCOVIDand the outbreaks, we had hundreds of staff that were off sick," shesaid.

"What we put on paper as a plan was not necessarily actionable when staff were getting sick, or having to isolate."

She added health-care staff felt likethey were working at full capacity with129 patients. Other staff were moving into critical care to support existing workers.

"The fact that we could identify 173 spaces in ICU, and we had equipment and supplies, did not necessarily mean we have the people power to place patients in those beds," Siragusa said.

As of April, she said 16,000 electivesurgeries have been delayed due to thepandemic. Thepublic health orders have not mandated cancellations, but medical experts decided themselvesto delay surgeries based on what was happening in hospitals, she said.

Siragusa, who testified on the third day of the hearing at Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench,is well known to many Manitobans for providing a calm presenceinthe face of often grim news at daily COVID-19 briefings earlier in the pandemic.

While Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussindelivered news about case counts, Siragusatypically made an effort to convey positive news, sharing anecdotes about people helping their neighbours and occasionally showingdrawings made by children for health-care workers. Her news conference appearances are nowinfrequent.

Court also heard testimony frommicrobiologistJason Kindrachuk, a University of Manitoba associate professor and the Canada research chair in emerging viruses.

He testified thatvaccines will offer more sustained immunity from the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 than exposure or infection.

Chief Justice Glenn Joyal is presiding over the hearing, which is expected to run for nine days.

He began Wednesday by condemning members of the public trying to watch the hearing who have been rudeto staff in the clerk's office.

Joyal said he would not tolerate such behaviour, when the 55 members of the public allowed to watch the virtual hearing online is more people than would normally bepermitted in most courtrooms.

Public access must becapped due to technological limitations, he said.

WATCH |Chief Nursing Officer Lanette Siragusatestifies athearing on public health orders challenge:

Chief Nursing Officer Lanette Siragusa testifies at 3rd day of challenge to Manitoba's pandemic health orders

3 years ago

Duration 1:39

Manitoba's chief nursing officer acknowledged in court Wednesday that hospitals adapted to the increased demand of COVID-19, but cautioned the full consequences of that are still unknown.