Some hospitals struggling as thousands of B.C. health care workers sick with COVID-19

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The number of workers ill with COVID-19 is rising, hitting levels not seen since the peak of the Omicron wave in January — and staffing shortages are hitting smaller communities particularly hard.

At the hospital in Port McNeill, the emergency department is now open, fully staffed with health care workers.

But Mayor Gabby Wickstrom said a staffing shortage due to illness closed the department for 24 hours last weekend.

“It had to do with staff illness, so the notification came out very quickly and they were not able to fill it with temporary positions,” she said.

In the event of illness, the hospital typically calls a temp agency to fill a position, but it couldn’t supply anyone in time.

The community has experienced staff shortages in the past, but Wickstrom said nothing like this.

“We’ve had it from time to time in the past, but not as frequent as it is right now. It doesn’t seem to be as dire as it is now.”

Health Minister Adrian Dix said there is a surge in the number of healthcare workers sick with COVID-19 across the province.

“Last week that number was approximately 15,000 in the most recent numbers,” he said.

He said the thousands of employees off sick haven’t been seen since the peak of the Omicron wave in January.

“In the last week in April, that number was 17,900. In a typical week, it’s 8 to 9,000 people,” he said.

Dix noted several hospitals have had to shut wards for short periods including the Royal Inland Hospital’s pediatric and obstetric units.

The thousands of sick health care workers are creating stress across the system, according to the Hospital Employee Union‘s Mike Old.

“Right now the numbers of workers who are out sick are at levels that we’ve not seen since January. Things are quite bad. People are very burnt out.”

In Port McNeill, a virtual information meeting between the community and Island Health is going to be scheduled in the next few weeks on the issue of the closures.

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Mary Griffin

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