On Saturday, the University District near Queen’s University was crowded with students as they celebrated St. Patrick’s Day.

In the wake of the COVID-19 spread in Canada, Queen’s, KFL&A Public Health and Kingston Police warned students not to attend the street parties and to stay away from large gatherings in order to stop the spread of the virus.

Dr. Kieran Moore, Kingston’s Medical Officer of Health, told Global News on Saturday morning that there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Kingston area. He said last week that as a collective group, we need to be cautious of the impact of St. Patrick’s Day will have on the health-care system.

“We often see 100 patients extra a day in our emergency departments (related to St. Patrick’s Day). When we are trying to ramp up our services for COVID-19 and prepare the health system for any potential impact, now is not the time to be socially irresponsible,” said Dr. Moore last week.

Queen’s University’s COVID-19 special advisor, Dr. David Walker, told Global News’ Bill Hutchins in a sit-down interview last week that it would be unreasonable to think that there would be no St. Patrick’s Day celebrations but urged students to be thoughtful and very cautious as they may pose a risk to those with respiratory illnesses.

KFL&A Public Health posted to social media and on its website that the decisions made by those participating in the St. Patrick’s Day party could have an impact on the limited resources and overwhelming pressures of local emergency rooms during the COVID-19 situation.

“You might end up with more than a hangover. If you over consume or get hurt, you may require emergency care. This threatens to overwhelm our first responders and our emergency rooms during a time of increased screening and testing for COVID-19,” posted to KFL&A Public Healths website.

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