The Government of Canada is reporting that the flu leads to an estimated 12,200 hospital stays and 3,500 deaths every year.
Health Canada officials said some people are at higher risk of flu-related complications, like pneumonia and urge people to reduce their risk by getting a flu shot.
Windsor Regional Hospital said it tends to see noticeable increases in patient volumes during this time of year due to the flu season, as well as from patients who come to the emergency department because of holiday hours at local doctors’ offices and walk-in clinics. Hospital officials said the emergency departments at Ouellette Campus and Met Campus receive, in total, about 500 patients per day on a typical day over the holiday season, which is roughly twice the normal volume of patients who come to emergency.
Windsor Regional is offering tips to stay healthy and avoid the emergency department during the busy holiday season. The hospital said it prepares for these increases in volumes but you can play a role in helping hospital staff care for patients in a timely fashion with the following suggestions:
- Consider alternatives to the Emergency Department for any non-emergency care. Check now with your family doctor’s office or your nearest walk-in clinic for their holiday hours. You can look up locations and numbers for various options through Clinic Seeker, or Medimap, or through Health Care Connect.
- If you are not sure about whether your medical concern needs attention, you can contact Telehealth Ontario, which is a free, confidential service that offers health advice or information by phone from a live Registered Nurse. Telehealth is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-866-797-0000.
- If you want to know how long the current waits are for non-emergency treatment at local emergency departments, you can check current wait times information for either campus online.
- Make sure get your flu shot to protect yourself and those around you. Most local drug stores provide this service as do retail pharmacies at both hospital campuses. Just bring your health card.
- If your prescription might run out over the holidays, try to refill it in advance, and if you do run out of medications, contact your local pharmacist to see if they can assist.
- Caregivers who need temporary relief from caring for a loved one can call Home and Community Care, Erie-St. Clair LHIN at 1-888-447-4468 to learn more.
- If you have a mental health concern, you can call the Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare/Canadian Mental Health Association’s 24-hour crisis line at 519-973-4435. You can also call the Distress Centre of The Downtown Mission between noon and midnight at 519-256-5000, or text the Distress Centre from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. at 741741. For younger patients, you can call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868.
- Erie St. Clair Healthline is an online listing of more than 1,800 programs and services available throughout the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integrated Network (LHIN) region. The site features a Non-Emergency Medical Services page that displays information including holiday hours, contact numbers, and locations for a variety of health care organizations, including family health teams and community health centres. It also features pharmacies with extended hours and crisis intervention assistance.
Here are some general tips on keeping healthy year round:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer to help keep the flu virus from spreading.
- Cover your mouth with a tissue or your upper sleeve when you cough or sneeze.
- Avoid touching your face to keep the virus from entering your body through your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick. Do not go out in big crowds possibly infecting others.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces and shared items.
