MONTREAL — The city’s public health department will be opening nine flu clinics across the island of Montreal in response to the high number of Montrealers showing up at hospitals with flu or flu-like symptoms.
“About 10 per cent of people who go to the hospital emergency rooms have flu-like symptoms,” explained Dr. Jacques Ricard, Director of services at Santé Montréal.
READ MORE: Flu season peak arrives early in Quebec
The aim is to relieve some of the pressure in the hospitals and allow ER doctors to deal with other cases.
“When you get the cold and flu, it also sets you up for all sorts of things,” explained Montreal health specialist, Dr. Mitch Shulman.
“When the flu hits Montreal in force, we start seeing people with heart attacks, lung problems, kidney failure just because you have people on the borderline and they get tipped over because of the flu.”
READ MORE: Montreal hospital visitor restrictions taking toll on patients
For now, Montreal Public Health plans to keep the clinics open until Jan. 16, but it has suggested that they may stay open longer, depending on the number of cases they receive.
Public Health is advising Montrealers to call before going to a clinic to make sure there are enough places available.
READ MORE: 5 ways to protect yourself from the flu
The clinics are open everyday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Find the clinic closest to you on the map below:
• Herzl Family Medicine Centre, 5858 Cote-des-Neiges Road., suite 500 (514-340-8311)
• Diamant Medical Clinic, 5885 Cote-des-Neiges Road., suite 201 (514-731-5994)
• Brunswick Medical Centre, 955 St. John’s Blvd., Pointe Claire (514-426-6677)
• Statcare Clinic, 175 Stillview Ave., suite 104 (514-694-9282)
• Queen Elizabeth Urgent Care Clinic, 2100 Marlowe Ave. (514-485-5013)
• Clinique Médicale Angus, 4101 Molson St., suite 101 (514-807-2333)
• Clinique Médicale Désy, 5636 Henri-Bourassa E. (514-326-9060)
• Clinique Forcemedic, 1461 Jean-Talon E. (514-787-1818)
• Centre Médical Hochelaga, 9080 Hochelaga (514-353-8742)
Comments