Starting on Jan. 9, emergency operation centres will be reactivated in health authorities to ensure healthcare demand is managed during the respiratory illness season.
The EOCs will be in place for a minimum of 6 weeks with supports available for 20 BC hospitals that treat a higher number of patients.
Mills Memorial in Terrace, Vernon Jubilee, and Fort St John and Peace Villa are among the 20 to recieve support.
EOC’s are the province’s attempt at being proactive about providing care and works to manage bed counts, reduce overall occupancy, and ease emergency room congestion.
BC Health Minister Adrian Dix says that as of Wednesday, there were 223 people in hospital with influenza or RSV while 356 people were hospitalized with COVID 19.
BC has utilized EOCs in the past in response to the pandemic, wildfires, and extreme weather events.
The province says that British Columbians play a cruicial role in supporting the health care system by getting vaccinated against both influenza and COVID-19, and staying home when sick.
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