With the rise of respiratory illness in B.C. children, the BC Children’s Hospital may be forced to make patients room together, according to a memo obtained by Global News.
In the memo, which was for the “C&W Leaders’ Forum,” the hospital said it’s preferable for patients to be in single rooms, but two patients may share a single-patient room “when medically appropriate.”
“Like other pediatric hospitals throughout Canada, BC Children’s Hospital is facing an increase in the volume of patients this respiratory illness season,” hospital officials wrote.
“As such, we are faced with needing to accommodate more patients in the space we have.”
A decision to pair patients will be based on factors that include the level of acuity, how serious the illness is, and risks of nosocomial transmission of infections.
A BC Children’s Hospital doctor said this is more of a last-resort measure, if the hospital is at full capacity.
“Across the provincial health-care system, we are seeing very high numbers of patients in doctor’s offices, emergency departments, and in-patient units which includes the intensive care unit at BC Children’s Hospital,” said Dr. Laura Sauvé, a BC Children’s Hospital pediatric infectious disease specialist.
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“For the last several weeks, we have put in place a number of measures so we can provide excellent care while coping with the higher-than-usual numbers. Many hospitals across the country have shared rooms normally. We are really privileged at BC Children’s Hospital to generally have single-patient rooms.”
Sauvé said the BC Children’s Hospital did have to pair patients during last year’s flu season and was able to take lessons learned and apply them for this flu season.
The doctor also said no patients are sharing rooms at BC Children’s Hospital at this time.
Recently, B.C. has seen a sudden surge in Influenza A cases leading to a sharp rise in absenteeism at schools and more severe cases in children.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said flu cases have come sooner than expected and less natural immunity in children is having an impact on spread and severity. The B.C. government has been encouraging families to get their children vaccinated for influenza.
A number of clinics in B.C. are offering additional walk-in influenza immunizations as part of the B.C. government’s efforts to support people and families with children to get vaccinated.
Friday through Sunday, additional clinics will be administering influenza immunization shots with a focus on children’s vaccinations ahead of the incoming holiday season.
Community members can also register and book an appointment online, a process that will find the closest available clinic.
The ramp-up in messaging from the province comes after news that six children have died from a flu-related illness this season. The BC Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC) said it is aware of the six reports of influenza-associated deaths of residents under 19.
“Early findings indicate some of the children experienced secondary bacterial infections contributing to severe illness which can be a complication of influenza,” the BC CDC told Global News by email.
“It is important to know that death associated with influenza in previously healthy children continues to be rare. Public health is monitoring the situation closely, and are reminding people of the steps they can take to prevent themselves, their children and their loved ones against the flu.”
— With files from Global BC’s Richard Zussman and Amy Judd.
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