Ontario’s top doctor returned to Kingston Friday morning to be honoured for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Kieran Moore was named a Field Knight in the Order of St. George at Kingston’s downtown cathedral.
“I hereby make, break and acknowledge you as a field knight from the Order of St. George,” said Commodore Robert W. Hamilton, Knight Grand Cross St. George, as he waved a sword on both sides of Moore’s shoulders.
Moore’s work as KFLA’s top doctor, and now Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, is what led him to receive this title, which is given to those who do great community work and leave a significant impact.
“We are all benefiting from (Moore’s) guidance,” explained Hamilton.
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Moore says his success as the region’s top doctor and now Ontario’s was a collective effort — and that he’d accept the Field Knight honour on one condition.
“I would only accept on behalf of KFL&A and of everyone over the last year and a half who has made sacrifices during this pandemic, and behalf of our health unit,” said Moore.
While the doctor is happy to be working hard to lead Ontario into a post-pandemic world, he says it does come with its challenges.
“Of course I miss working for KFL&A. My patient population I cared for was around 200,000; now I’m caring for 14.7 million, and working with 34 health units,” said Moore.
However, with immunization policies, Moore believes the province is moving in the right direction.
Dr. David Pichora, the CEO of Kingston Health Sciences Centre, and who has known Moore for about 15 years, attended the ceremony in support. He also believes that under Moore’s guidance, Ontario will be successful in keeping COVID-19 cases under control, the same way KFL&A is.
“Hopefully we’ll keep working well together. We certainly have full confidence in Kieran and the work that he’s doing in Toronto that we’ll be able to use the tools we already know to try to keep the population safe,” said Pichora.
The ceremony was about an hour in length, and around 40 people showed up to watch Kingston’s former top doctor receive the honour.
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