(UPDATE) Northern Health avoids closure of Chetwynd ER

Updated 5 p.m., April 19th: This article has been updated to reflect an announcement by Northern Health stating the closure has been canceled.

CHETWYND, B.C. — Emergency department services in Chetwynd have been restored for Monday after a 25-hour closure was announced.

According to a Facebook post uploaded to Northern Health – Chetwynd and Area’s page, the emergency department at the Chetwynd General Hospital was announced to be unavailable from 7 a.m. on April 20th to 8 a.m. on April 21st. 

In a Facebook post at 2:30 p.m., Northern Health stated that staffing coverage had been arranged, resulting in the closure being canceled.

The department was previously closed for 25 hours from April 7th to April 8th. 

The health authority has previously stated emergency department statuses may change abruptly and recommends checking its Emergency Department Status page, which is updated in real time. 

During an emergency room closure, residents who are in need of life-threatening emergency care, which can include chest pains, difficulty breathing, and severe bleeding, should call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility. 

Those with non-urgent care needs or without a family doctor or nurse practitioner are asked to call the Northern Health Virtual Clinic at 1-844-645-7811 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. 

The First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day Program is available to help Indigenous people and their family members living in B.C. with limited or no access to their own doctors to make a virtual appointment by calling 1-855-344-3800, seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the post said. 

Residents in Northern B.C. can also book an appointment to see a pharmacist for 21 minor ailments and prescription contraceptives by clicking here. 

Patients who are unsure whether their condition warrants an emergency room visit or who need health advice can call HealthLink B.C. 24/7.