As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the north, it’s clear the region needs on-going support to meet the demand of care.
Some nurses from Interior Health (IH) have voluntarily responded to additional shifts in Northern Health as cases continue to rise in the region, a total of 1,331 since March.
Both health authorities say it is not uncommon for staff to provide support where needed regardless of regional boundaries to ensure British Columbians receive the care they need, when they need it.
“We have shared an opportunity for our casual staff to pick up additional shifts in Northern Health given their recent increase in COVID-19 cases. This is not mandatory and will not impact baseline staffing at IH facilities,” says Interior Health in a statement.
“There are IH nurses who have already voluntarily responded and shifts are being arranged. This is an open and ongoing opportunity for IH casual nurses and we have encouraged any who are able to proceed, to put their name forward.”
Interior Health says it is actively connected to Northern Health as all authorities are engaged in our provincial pandemic response.
It is clear, however, that COVID-19 continues to have a profound impact on the north, as the region currently has the highest rate of hospitalization.
Yesterday (Dec. 14) Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 91 cases in the region and three deaths in the north.
Among 46 total hospitalizations, 40 of those hospitalizations are admitted into University Hospital of Northern BC (UHNBC), while the rest are either in Terrace or Fort St. John.
“Northern Health recognizes and greatly appreciate that nursing staff at UHNBC have been working very hard, and that it is important that we develop contingencies to support them and provide some relief, which can include deploying staff from other regions where that is possible,” says Northern Health in a statement.
“We are also fortunate to have healthcare workers who, for example, work on teams both at Interior Health and Northern Health, travelling between regions and delivering healthcare services in rural and remote communities. As part of our health human resourcing COVID-19 response plans, we continue to monitor staffing at UHNBC (and all facilities), and to implement appropriate strategies, which may include additional staff resourcing where needed.”
Additional supports in the north include BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), who announced its Major Incident Rapid Response Team was staying in Fort St. James for another four-day term formally ending Wednesday (Dec. 16) with new crew members on the ground supporting local paramedics.
Since the start of December, there have been 100 medical emergency calls, mostly related to COVID-19, in the district and Nak'azdli Whut'en areas, BCEHS spokesperson Shannon Miller confirmed to PrinceGeorgeMatters.
She adds, of those calls, 45 were medical emergency calls related to COVID-19 and 56 were patient transfers since Dec. 1.
The unit was initially launched last Wednesday (Dec. 9) in response to, what was confirmed at the time, 40 COVID-19 cases within the district's region.
This included the Nak'azdli Whut'en First Nation, who have closed their community for two weeks as of Dec. 4 in an effort to prevent further spread of the virus.
- with files from Kyle Balzer, PrinceGeorgeMatters
