Hospitals across B.C. are preparing beds for the coming influenza season, with a spike in patients with either seasonal flu or COVID expected. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

surge capacity

Province prepares for increased hospital demand during next round of COVID & influenza season

Sep 28, 2022 | 2:20 PM

NANAIMO — Preparations in the province for another cold and flu season combined with COVID-19 are well-underway.

Health officials are looking closely at hospital capacity heading into the third winter of the COVID-19 pandemic, but a period where the province is better armed against serious illness or fatal outcomes from coronavirus.

As of Wednesday, Sept. 28, roughly 86 per cent of B.C residents aged five and up have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, with fewer numbers taking advantage of booster shots.

It’s hoped vaccination and other immunities to the virus will keep hospital numbers down, currently at their lowest point of 2022 with around 350 people currently receiving formal care for COVID-19.

Following a pair of almost non-existent influenza years in the province, health minister Adrian Dix said preparations are underway for a worst-case scenario of flu patients this winter.

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“Up to, and it’s important to emphasize that, 1,200 additional patients may require hospitalization at a given time. Those peaks tend to be sharper, but again, we have to prepare for that,” Dix told a Wednesday media briefing.

The province is relying on flu trends elsewhere as a signal that virus has a strong chance of making its presence felt in the province this year.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said during the Sept. 28 update there are indications the flu will peak a little earlier than the December and January peaked we’re used to.

“If we see a similar pattern to what we saw in the Southern Hemisphere, we might be seeing influenza start to surge in November, December as well.”

Dr. Henry said the province’s influenza campaign starts next week, with most British Columbians given access to free flu shots starting after the Oct. 11 Thanksgiving weekend.

Dr. Henry noted the influenza vaccine will be available at all pharmacies and public health clinics.

She said the flu vaccine is recommended for everybody six months and older.

As for the impact COVID-19 is anticipated to have in the months ahead, Dr. Henry suggested upwards of 700 British Columbians may require hospitalization through the fall and winter.

Those patients will be adding to the roughly 1,200 influenza patients expected during the same time period.

Just over 350 people are in hospital for reasons potentially linked to COVID-19, but it’s the lowest rate in 2022 so far. (BC Government)

B.C’s current hospital capacity is 9,400 patients at any one time, creating a scenario where up to one quarter of provincial hospital beds are occupied by COVID or flu patients.

Health officials hope to offset part of the demand on hospital capacity by transferring some current hospital admissions to community care.

It’s estimated 1,300 currently admitted patients could be cared for effectively elsewhere. Another 500 hospitalized are awaiting placement to a care home setting.

The province is also eyeing more drastic measures if needed, including service reductions and the postponement of non-emergency surgeries as has occurred through earlier stages of the pandemic.

However, those measures are being called a “worst case scenario”.

Current rates of immunization, at least in part, to COVID-19 through either infection or vaccination. Most age groups see 97 per cent or higher with some level of immunization. (BC Government)

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