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Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued heat warnings across Interior Health this week, with temperatures expected to soar as high as 40 degrees in a number of communities. With elevated temperatures, the risk of heat-related illness increases. The BC Centre of Disease Control provides a broad range of heat-related guidance on its website, including information on the different types of heat alerts, how to prepare for hot temperatures, symptoms of heat-related illnesses, those most at risk during hot weather and ways to stay cool. Preparing for and responding to hot weather: If you have air conditioning at home, make sure it is in good working order. If you do not have air conditioning at home: Find somewhere you can cool off on hot days. Consider places in your community to spend time indoors such as libraries, community centres, movie theatres or malls. Also, as temperatures may be hotter inside than outside, consider outdoor spaces with lots of shade and running water. Shut windows and close curtains and blinds during the heat of the day to block the sun and prevent hotter outdoor air from coming inside. Open doors and windows when it is cooler outside to move that cooler air indoors. Ensure that you have a working fan, but do not rely on fans as your primary means of cooling. Fans can be used to draw cooler late-evening, overnight and early-morning air indoors. Keep track of temperatures in your home using a thermostat or thermometer. Sustained indoor temperatures over 31 C can be dangerous for people who are susceptible to heat. If your home gets very hot, consider staying with a friend or relative who has air conditioning if possible. Identify people who may be at high risk for heat-related illness. If possible, help them prepare for heat and plan to check in on them. Who is most at risk? It is important to monitor yourself, family members, neighbours and friends during hot weather. Consider developing a check-in system for those who are at high risk of heat-related illness. The most susceptible individuals include: older adults, especially those over 60 people who live alone people with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or respiratory disease people with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression or anxiety people with substance use disorders people with limited mobility and other disabilities people who are marginally housed people who work in hot environments people who are pregnant infants and young children Your health: Drink plenty of water and other liquids to stay hydrated, even if you are not thirsty. Spray your body with water, wear a damp shirt, take a cool shower or bath or sit with part of your body in water to cool down. Take it easy, especially during the hottest hours of the day. Stay in the shade and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or more. Take immediate action to cool down if you are overheating. Signs of overheating include feeling unwell, headache and dizziness. Overheating can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, severe headache, muscle cramps, extreme thirst and dark urine. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should seek a cooler environment, drink plenty of water, rest and use water to cool your body. Signs of heat stroke include loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting and very dark urine or no urine. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911. However, it is important to use 911 responsibly to avoid overwhelming the system. When to call 911: In cases of heat stroke: loss of consciousness, disorientation, confusion, severe nausea or vomiting or very dark urine or no urine. In general: when there is chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, severe burns, choking, convulsions that are not stopping, a drowning, a severe allergic reaction, a head injury, signs of a stroke or a major trauma. If you have a less urgent health issue: You can call HealthLinkBC at 811 and speak with a nurse or go to an urgent care centre or clinic if you can do so safely. That way, our emergency medical dispatch staff and paramedics will be available for people who need their services the most. There are also online tools at healthlinkbc.ca, including a “Check Your Symptoms” tool.

100 Mile House and area are advised that the 100 Mile District General Hospital emergency department will be on diversion overnight July 22-24 due to limited physician availability. The emergency department is on diversion: 8 p.m. Friday, July 22 until 8 a.m. Saturday, July 23 8 p.m. Saturday, July 23 until 8 a.m. Sunday, July 24 8 p.m. Sunday, July 24 until 8 a.m. Monday, July 25 Residents are advised of the following when the emergency department is closed: In the event of an emergency, call 911. Visit the emergency department at one of the following facilities: Cariboo Memorial Hospital –  517 North, 6 Ave N, Williams Lake Royal Inland Hospital – 311 Columbia Street, Kamloops Call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 (24-hour service) if you are unsure of your need to seek emergency care Interior Health regrets this temporary change to normal operations in 100 Mile House. All efforts were made to fill this shift and active recruitment for additional physicians to support emergency department services in 100 Mile is ongoing.

Clearwater and area residents are advised Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital Emergency Department will go on diversion at 6 p.m. tonight until 7 a.m. Friday, due to limited staffing availability. The emergency department is on diversion from: 6 p.m. Thursday, July 21 to 7 a.m. Friday, July 22 Interior Health regrets this temporary change to normal operations and reminds residents to take note of the following if they require care while the emergency department is closed: In the event of an emergency, call 9-1-1. Call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 (24-hour service) if you are unsure of your need to seek emergency care. Visit the emergency department at: Royal Inland Hospital – 311 Columbia Street, Kamloops The emergency department in Clearwater is normally open 24/7.

Interior Health’s Digital Health Support Desk enables patients, caregivers and their families to have a better health-care experience when accessing IH virtual and digital tools. On Friday, July 15, that experience was enhanced with the addition of public technical support for online lab appointment bookings to the toll-free telephone service. “More people are using technology and so we’ve launched Digital Health Support as a one-stop shop to help navigate our various digital services,” said Mal Griffin, Interior Health vice president of digital health. “We formerly had separate support desks managed by different teams. With this change, we are continuing to enhance the user experience for patients and their families by providing one phone number they can call for support.” People can reach a Digital Health Support Desk team member by calling 1-844-870-4756. Support is offered for several digital services, including MyHealthPortal – an online tool that provides secure 24-7 access to one’s personal health information from a computer, tablet or smartphone. Assistance is also available for password/login ID resets, enrolments, proxy requests, and more. Support is also available to assist members of the public with booking or rescheduling an outpatient lab appointment or blood test. “We can also assist members of the public with using Zoom videoconferencing for a virtual appointment, whether you need help downloading Zoom or selecting the right audio and video settings, or even setting up a Zoom test visit. The Support Desk team can ensure you are prepared for an effective virtual experience,” added Griffin. Digital Health Support Desk hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It is closed on statutory holidays. Calls are answered in the order they are received and may be recorded for quality assurance and training purposes. Learn more about Digital Health Support at Interior Health.

Summer is here and, for many of us in the B.C. Interior, it’s a time to enjoy actively moving around in our communities. Many people are enjoying alternative low carbon ways of getting around. E-scooters are a convenient, fun alternative to driving a car. Two Interior communities – Kelowna and Vernon – are currently participating in a three-year provincial pilot project, allowing residents and visitors to use electric kick scooters (e-scooters) under similar rules as bikes and e-bikes. In addition, many individuals across the region have access to their own e-scooter. As this newer form of transportation is sharing the road with other modes, Interior Health is committed to working with all partners to ensure injury prevention remains a top priority. Evidence from 2021 suggests an increase in the number of scooter-related injuries as compared to the previous five years. The most affected age groups were young individuals between the ages of 20 and 40, and the most common types of injuries were fracture of the upper extremities and open wounds to the head and neck. More than 90 per cent of individuals injured did not wear a helmet at the time of injury. “Road safety is everyone’s business,” said Dr. Silvina Mema, medical health officer, Interior Health. “It’s important that everyone plays their part to prevent transportation-related injuries and associated impacts experienced in our communities. There are significant health-care costs as well and personal impacts for people who experience serious injuries.” Interior Health is reminding anyone who uses a privately owned or shared e-scooter to keep safety top of mind and follow the e-scooter provider specifications. Here are a number of steps you can take to ride safely and reduce the risk of injury to yourself or others: Wear a helmet Don’t carry passengers (e.g., doubling) Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol If you are a less experienced rider, start slow and in areas of low traffic Ride at a safe speed and in designated areas such as protected lanes and quiet streets Remember you must be 16 or older to ride an e-scooter in B.C. (Kelowna-based operators currently require you to be 18 or older) Know the rules - familiarize yourself with where you can and cannot ride Ensure your e-scooter is equipped with a braking system and added safety features, including a bell, lights and reflectors These tips also apply to other types of active travel, such as cycling, skateboarding, non-electric scooters and roller skating/blading. Interior Health supports alternative modes of transportation and will continue to partner with communities to monitor health-related impacts. Information on the shared e-scooter programs operating within Interior Health, including their safe use and designated areas for riding, are available on the City of Kelowna, City of Vernon and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's websites.

People who use Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) are advised of changes to the way they access the Kamloops hospital, beginning Monday, July 18 with the opening of the Phil & Jennie Gaglardi Tower. The public will now access the main entrance and the emergency department in a new way. Main entrance and patient drop off The new main entrance and patient drop-off area is located at the front doors of the Gaglardi Tower, across from the Clinical Services Building (CSB) parkade. Public parking remains in the CSB parkade and people can walk from Level P4 of the CSB parkade and follow the sidewalk to access the main entrance to RIH. Emergency entrance The new, permanent emergency entrance at RIH is located at the roundabout (near the old coffee shop). There is no longer any emergency parking near the ambulance bay. Short-term public parking for the emergency department is now located on the right side of the drive leading to the roundabout. Signage will be in place to help guide patients. View parking map

TRAIL – People who rely on Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) in Trail are advised that the main and emergency department public entrances will be closed for three weeks beginning July 11. Construction crews will be working on enhancing the entrance access to the regional hospital. To allow for the construction, patients and visitors will be directed to the ambulance bay entrance at KBRH. The bus stop will be temporarily relocated closer to the interim entrance and greeters will be in specific locations to help assist people accessing the hospital. Signage will also be in place. Interior Health regrets any inconvenience to people while this work is taking place.

A new pharmacy at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital is now open, offering enhanced operational efficiency, improved working conditions and modern technology. Read the full release

CLEARWATER - Clearwater and area residents are advised of a temporary change to the emergency department hours at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital tonight due to limited staffing availability. The emergency department will be closed: 6 p.m. Thursday, July 7 to 7 a.m. Friday, July 8 Full service will resume on Friday, July 8 at 7 a.m. Interior Health regrets this temporary change to normal operations and reminds residents to take note of the following if they require care while the emergency department is closed: In the event of an emergency, call 911. Visit the emergency department at one of the following facilities: Royal Inland Hospital – 311 Columbia Street, Kamloops Call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 (24 hour service) if you are unsure of your need to seek emergency care. The emergency department in Clearwater is normally open 24/7.