2023-12-23 20:27:38
The “perfect storm” that has rocked emergency departments for several weeks continues to make waves as Christmas approaches. Despite Christian Dubé’s call for help and the establishment of “winter clinics”, emergencies are overflowing in half of the regions of the province.
Saturday afternoon, their occupancy rate reached 104%, on average, according to Index Santé, which distributes data from the Provincial Emergency Console (CPU). Laval, which had the worst results, was close to 150% occupancy, followed by Lanaudière (132%) and Montérégie (118%).
At the beginning of last week, the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, affirmed that emergencies were facing a “perfect storm”, due to a cocktail of seasonal viruses, staff vacations, shortage of workers. -work, a lack of hospital beds and the aging of the population.
The new sub-variant of COVID-19, JN.1, is of particular concern. “We probably have 40,000, if not 50,000 people per day who are contaminated by the virus,” said the national director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau, at a press briefing on Tuesday. Since October, an average of 2,000 people have been hospitalized continuously testing positive for COVID-19 — levels not seen since last January.
Winter clinics
This is why the Minister of Health asked Quebecers not to go to emergency rooms if they did not have serious symptoms, and to use winter clinics in the event of severe symptoms linked to respiratory infections.
“These clinics are open at least two days a week and welcome people of all ages who present with flu-like or gastrointestinal symptoms,” indicates the Ministry of Health website. “Following the assessment of an Info-Santé 811 nurse, the person needing an appointment is directed to a consultation with the right professional in a winter clinic. »
Around thirty winter clinics must eventually accommodate patients in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, in the Capitale-Nationale, in Estrie, in Montreal, in Outaouais, in Chaudière-Appalaches, in Laval, in Lanaudière, in the Laurentians and in Montérégie. They are all listed online.
“Several of the health problems observed on a daily basis in emergency rooms could be treated at home,” Christian Dubé also indicated on X, earlier this week. He suggests that Quebecers consult the government’s “self-care” guides.
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