Interior Health still hardest hit by COVID hospitalizations

Even while restrictions on social gathering are being eased in B.C., the Omicron-variant wave is uneven around the province with the Interior Health region still being hard hit.

During the week of Feb. 7 to 13 there were 15,524 health-care workers who called in sick, 2,932 of whom were in Interior Health, Adrian Dix, B.C.’s Minister of Health said during a news briefing today, Feb. 15.

That’s 19% of those who called in sick in a region that has 14% of the province’s population.

READ MORE: Indoor dancing and socializing set to return in B.C. as COVID restrictions eased: health officials

“In particular, in Interior Health, proportionately, that continued to be a significant number and, while it has come down in the last couple of weeks, it continues to be higher than it would normally be at this time of year,” Dix said.

These numbers include all illnesses, not just COVID, but the totals are 20% higher than is normal for this time of year, he said.

The region also terminated close to 900 workers who refused to get vaccinated.

READ MORE: Almost 900 Interior Health employees terminated due to vaccine mandate

That’s having a dramatic impact on patients with scheduled non-urgent surgeries.

Out of 320 such surgeries postponed in B.C. during the week of Feb. 6 to 12, a whopping 67%, or 231, were in the Interior Health region.

“All the efforts we’ve made to stop COVID’s rapid spread, using our COVID sense to get vaccinated and consistently following public health guidance, have made a difference,” Dix said.

It seems that difference has yet to be felt in Interior Health, which was hit later than the Lower Mainland by the Omicron wave.

There were 70 surgeries postponed in the Fraser Health region that same week and none in Vancouver Coastal.

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