B.C. Children’s Hospital prepared to double-bunk patients amid spike in respiratory illness | 24CA News
The B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver has accepted double-bunking sufferers in single-occupancy rooms because it tries to deal with an inflow of sufferers with respiratory diseases.
A memo obtained by The Canadian Press says that whereas it is preferable that sufferers be in single rooms, two sufferers might share one room “if required to provide safe care.”
The decision comes as the province grapples with a spike in respiratory infections that has included an unusually high number of childhood deaths.
The memo, sent Friday, says similar measures have been implemented in other years and adds that any decision to double up must be made in consultation with the hospital’s infection prevention and control team.
In a statement, infectious disease pediatrician Dr. Laura Sauve said the memo was a routine clinical reminder that’s part of the planning process for a difficult respiratory season.
As of Monday morning, there were no patients sharing rooms in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit, she said
Ministry strongly encourages flu shots for all ages
Last week, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the province was seeing a “dramatic enhance” in sickness, and it arrived earlier than the seasonal flu normally would.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of influenza immunizations right now. This year in particular,” stated Henry, talking to reporters in Vancouver on Monday, Dec. 5. The following Thursday, the province confirmed that six youngsters and youth have died this yr after contracting influenza.
Henry defined that many younger youngsters weren’t uncovered to influenza within the final two years because of COVID-19 restrictions and public well being measures, that means they’ve the next probability of getting sick this yr.
An common of two to a few youngsters died within the province from the flu every year between 2015 and 2019, knowledge from the BC Coroners Service exhibits.
Health Minister Adrian Dix stated on the identical time that provincial emergency rooms had been seeing a peak of as much as 6,900 sufferers every day, and the province is ready to cancel non-urgent surgical procedures to make extra room in hospitals if it turns into needed.
The province has been encouraging adults and younger individuals to get their flu pictures and recommending individuals keep house when sick and put on masks when experiencing gentle signs.
Monday afternoon, the B.C. Ministry of Health stated over 77,500 individuals have been vaccinated towards influenza from Dec. 5 to 11, and over 42,000 flu pictures have been administered throughout a walk-in clinic blitz from Friday to Sunday.
The province says about 30 per cent of the overall inhabitants in B.C. over the age of six months has acquired a flu vaccine, together with 186,606 younger individuals between the ages of six months and 17 years.
“Public-health officials are continuing to encourage families and caregivers to get themselves and their children vaccinated against influenza in advance of the holidays,” stated the ministry in a press release.
The ministry says influenza and COVID-19 immunizations are free for everybody six months and older and extra data on how to join your flu shot is obtainable on its web site.
