Medical experts in Edmonton are seeing more patients with respiratory illnesses being admitted to hospital than in previous years and say the respiratory illness season has also arrived earlier than usual.
“We are full,” said Dr. Carina Majaesic, medical director of the Stollery Children’s Hospital, said on Tuesday. “But we also make extra space when we are full.”
She said this means young patients can wait longer in the emergency department until space can be found.
“We have spaces we can overflow into.”
“We’re definitely seeing more patients than normal,” Majaesic said. “We’re definitely up, and so are our wait times.”
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Increase in respiratory illnesses causes long wait times at Alberta Children’s Hospital, Stollery
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Increase in respiratory illnesses causes long wait times at Alberta Children’s Hospital, Stollery
She said that it is normal to see respiratory viruses in the fall and winter season, but what is unusual this year is how many patients there are and how early those patients appeared.
“This is perhaps unprecedented and you also see it all over the country.”
Respiratory disease season usually lasts eight to 12 weeks, Dr. Christopher Sikora, Alberta Health Services’ medical officer of health for the Edmonton zone, said. But this is in “normal times”.
“Now we have COVID and flu and other respiratory diseases. I cannot predict (the cost) … nor the impact it will have on our hospital capacity.
“I do worry that we are not through this yet,” he said.
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There are a number of respiratory viruses currently circulating in the Edmonton area, including influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory pathogens such as RSV, Sikora said. Laboratory samples testing positive for coronavirus and RSV have increased sharply in the past two weeks. As of November 5, there were 146 Albertans hospitalized with the flu.
RSV tends to affect younger patients, COVID-19 tends to have more severe impacts on older populations, he said, while influenza strikes young and old.
Neither Sikora nor Majaesic could provide estimates for when Alberta’s respiratory disease season might peak.
“If this year is anything like previous years … we haven’t peaked yet,” Majaesic said.
“We probably won’t be out of the viral season in the next few months. It usually lasts until spring,” she added.
Sikora said AHS follows its federal colleagues with the Public Health Agency of Canada in recommending the use of face masks in indoor public settings to reduce transmission.
Other steps people can take to protect themselves, others and the healthcare facilities include:
- immunized against influenza
- to get a COVID-19 booster, if eligible
- wash hands regularly and use hand sanitizer
- stay home when you are sick
“Absence is better than spreading disease around a school,” Sikora said.
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The couple said there are other resources for parents, including Health Link, online health tips and reaching out to their primary care provider or pediatrician.
Majaesic said pediatricians have already extended clinic hours to help ease the pressure on children’s hospitals.
Staff at these hospitals are incredibly dedicated and work really hard “under extraordinary circumstances,” she said.
However, staffing is a concern.
Health care workers are exhausted from years of responding to the pandemic and are more exposed to disease through their work, Majaesic said, calling it a “double whammy.”
“Many thanks to all our staff,” Sikora added. “These are very challenging circumstances.”
The Stollery has not yet considered cutting back on other services or procedures, Majaesic said, but “we are over capacity for what we would normally admit to our service.”
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When asked about the children’s pain medication shortage, she said the Stollery was able to make its own liquid Tylenol for patients at the hospital.
Majaesic is also asking local drug stores if they can get access to Tylenol compound or if someone can make it in liquid form for them and their patients.
“The good part is that it works just as well (as the pill), but the downside is that you can’t store it… It’s only good for four or five days.
“It’s inconvenient, but it does work.”
When it comes to treating respiratory ailments at home, Majaesic recommends good nasal hygiene such as saline rinses, nasal steroids, decongestants, drinking plenty of fluids, resting and staying warm. She said patients should be encouraged to cough and not allow congestion to settle.
If symptoms don’t improve in about three days, she suggests calling Health Link for advice.
If a child has a prolonged illness, is short of breath or has trouble breathing, can’t keep fluids down or has a persistent fever, the parents should seek medical help, Majaesic said.
The opposition says Albertans need to hear from the premier, health minister and the new chief medical officer of health.
“I am disappointed that the UCP refuses to answer Albertans who are concerned about their access to health care,” said David Shepherd, the NDP’s health critic.
“Today’s proposed availability guidance to avoid emergency rooms by seeing a family doctor is not possible for hundreds of thousands of Albertans who do not have a family doctor because of the UCP’s attacks on doctors.”
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