Chatham-Kent’s newly hired top doctor is hopeful that collaboration with the community and its organizations will lead to a positive end to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a virtual meeting with local media on Wednesday, Chatham-Kent’s new Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mario Kangeswaren said the current desire is to see COVID-19 downgraded to seasonal respiratory illness, rather than a full-blown pandemic. However, he would not specify if he felt the municipality had reached that milestone.
“In terms of whether we’re coming to an end of COVID-19, that’s a [question] we have to ask ourselves in collaboration with the community. It’s only working with the community that we can do this together,” said Kangeswaren. “If you’re asking us to carry that weight, that’s something we can’t control. We can predict, but we don’t have control.”
Kangeswaren, who stepped into his new role on August 29 following the retirement of Dr. David Colby at the end of April, would not speculate if any preventative public health measures would be reintroduced in the future as the months turn colder.
“We traditionally know that things tend to peak during the winter months as we’ve seen in prior pandemic years and that’s something we have to be mindful of going forward,” he said.
When asked about how he intends to address possible COVID-19 outbreaks at area schools, Kangeswaren said the health unit will continue to work with the school boards to ensure children can safely remain in their classrooms.
“It’s working in collaboration with schools that we can move forward in a positive direction. And that’s the approach we’re taking moving into the fall season,” he said “It’s those relationships and working together that we’re able to move positively forward… It would be great if we’re heading in a good direction with respect to what’s happening to schools so that kids can get the education that they need.”
Kangeswaren comes to the municipality with extensive experience and training in a wide variety of locations across Canada and the United States. He holds a medical degree from Saba University in the Netherlands, as well as a Masters of Science in Family Medicine from McGill University in Quebec, and a Masters of Public Health from the University of Waterloo.
