In the News

The Similkameen Spotlight: This article from the South Okanagan Similkameen Division of Family Practice explains what to do and where to go in Princeton, should you need to access a family doctor, nurse practitioner, emergency care or other health services. Booking an appointment: Patients needing an appointment with a family doctor in Princeton are asked to call ahead for care at the Cascade Medical Centre, 250-295-4482, between 9 a.m-4 p.m.

Castanet: A Penticton small business was selling N95 masks for $10 each, drawing concerns from the public about price gouging, until Tuesday when Castanet investigated. On Tuesday afternoon, Rocky Store on Haven Hill Road had N95 medical-grade masks for sale individually at its front counter, which is in contravention of provincial rules prohibiting resale of medical equipment during the COVID-19 crisis.

Trail Times: Doctors and nurse practitioners in the Kootenay Boundary want you to know they are still open for business. Last week, the organization representing medical professionals serving the Kootenay Boundary said they were concerned patients are not booking appointments when they may need help, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News: Walk-in clinics and family doctors are still seeing patients by telephone or by video. Lately Dr. Lakshmikanth Challa and his team at the New Pitt Meadows Medical Clinic have been seeing zero wait times at their clinic and they are concerned. “A lot of people phoning don’t realize that the clinics are still open,” said office manager Terese Lang.

Tri-City News: A COVID-19 screening clinic run by Tri-City and New Westminster doctors is under pressure after the landlord allegedly called on doctors to halt work at the facility. Kristen Ash, the executive director of the Fraser Northwest Divisions of Family Doctors Practice Society (FNWD), said the owners of the property have confronted workers and accused them of risking the spread of the virus to other tenants.  

Westerly News:  Royal Jubilee and Nanaimo Regional General hospitals will be Vancouver Island’s front line hospitals in the battle against COVID-19, with other hospitals being used in a support role. “Island Health’s pandemic plan is to cohort COVID-19 patients requiring a higher level of care to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital and Royal Jubilee Hospital as primary COVID hospitals, with local sites used to support,” reads a prepared statement from Island Health.

Burnaby Now: Thank you for following our advice by staying home, keeping your distance and washing your hands. Health-care workers and many others in essential services continue to work in the front lines to meet our community’s needs. Our hospital teams appreciate your nightly displays of support.

Creston Valley Advance: Family physicians across the East Kootenay region are now available for telephone and video care appointments. On April 2, the province announced that B.C. health are workers would be gaining access to virtual health care options as many clinics were forced to close for all non-emergency appointments due to COVID-19.

CBC: A drive-thru COVID-19 testing site has been established in Burnaby's Central Park for health care workers and other patients referred by their family doctor. The Burnaby Division of Family Practice, which is coordinating the participating physicians, says this site is part of a comprehensive COVID-19 strategy that Burnaby's primary care partners are rolling out. Among those partners is the City of Burnaby, which is providing the parking lot, Burnaby RCMP are securing the area, and Fraser Health has committed the nursing staff.

Times Colonist: As much of society is shifting to the virtual world to connect amid the COVID-19 crisis, so too are doctors. Many family physicians and walk-in clinics have switched to seeing the majority of patients by video chat to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

Penticton Herald: After a years-long struggle with alcohol, all of the answers to Kelly Kahanyshyn’s problems were found at the bottom of a bottle – a pill bottle. “I tell you what, and I say this all the time: I don’t know what $1 million looks like, but I know what it feels like,” said the 53-year-old hairdresser, who started drinking as a teenager and was helpless to stop alcohol from slowly taking over her life.

Penticton Herald: Should the COVID-19 pandemic take a firm grip on the South Okanagan, local health workers will likely run out of personal protective equipment, says one of the doctors on the front lines. “Based on the numbers of expected cases and where the numbers have been elsewhere, we will not have enough personal protective equipment,” said Dr. Jennifer Begin, who heads the family medicine department at Penticton Regional Hospital.

The Nelson Daily: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians and nurse practitioners in Kootenay Boundary clinics are concerned patients are not booking appointments when they may need help. Many clinics have seen a drop in the number of appointments and are worried that patients who have health care concerns may be unsure if they can still see their practitoner in the midst of the COVID-19 situation.

Nanaimo News NOW: There is an overwhelming answer to the call for more personal protection equipment for those on the frontlines in Nanaimo during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Nanaimo Division of Family Practice recently launched an online donation platform to accept items in short supply, like medical masks and face shields, hand sanitizer, as well as disposable gowns and gloves.

Vernon Morning Star: Doctors in Salmon Arm have rallied together to provide a respiratory clinic for the community in response to COVID-19. On Monday, March 30, the Salmon Arm Community Respiratory Triage Clinic opened its doors from 4 to 7 p.m., just as it will be doing from Monday to Friday as long as it’s needed.

Penticton Herald: Tucked away in a not-so-secret location, Penticton’s top city bureaucrats are carrying out their regular duties while also preparing for what might happen if they themselves fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency operations centre was activated March 18 inside Penticton Fire Hall No. 1 at the request of the B.C. government, but was moved to the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre last week after the facility was closed to the public for health reasons.

Coast Reporter: While Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is working in partnership with them, the Sunshine Coast COVID Physician Task Force is a homegrown phenomenon. “There was a strong feeling amongst the physicians in this community of a need for a clear, organized response to the pandemic, as well as a desire from the community for clear communication and locally relevant information,” Dr. Jennifer Baxter told Coast Reporter through email.

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News: A drive is being launched by doctors and specialists across Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows for cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment to help them in the fight against COVID-19. Dr. Stacy Burton and Dr. Imran Ansari say they are in a “desperate need of supplies” and are urging the public to think creatively about supply donations. The wish list includes gloves, gowns, goggles, face shields, cleaning products and hand sanitizer. “Dentist offices, auto shops, hockey equipment suppliers, cosmetic schools and vets are all coming forward to help, but we need more supplies and more partners to contribute,” said Dr. Burton.

Oliver Chronicle: In an effort to keep our communities protected, South Okanagan Similkameen doctors and nurse practitioners are providing care by telephone and video conference. If you are in need of non-emergency medical care, call your doctors clinic to make an appointment. Residents who do not have a family provider should call their local walk-in clinic. It is very important that residents call first and not “show up” at any medical clinic.

Tri-City News: A shortage of face masks, gloves, goggles and other protective equipment is prompting Tri-City and New Westminster doctors to hold virtual appointments with patients and set up a COVID-19 testing site so potentially infected patients don’t need to come to their offices. Across North America, frontline health care professionals have been crying out for personal protective equipment to avoid contracting COVID-19, and local family doctors are facing the same problem.