Royal Inland Hospital (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES

Royal Inland seeing more young patients with respiratory illnesses

Nov 28, 2022 | 4:14 PM

KAMLOOPS — The rate of influenza vaccines for children across the Interior Health Authority is 15 per cent lower than years past. As of Friday (Nov. 25), approximately 20 per cent of children have been vaccinated while that number is generally closer to the 35 per cent mark.

The lower rate is important as hospitals are reporting more children being admitted with respiratory infections.

Across British Columbia and Canada, hospitals are fighting an increased respiratory illness season with younger children being disproportionately affected. Chief of Staff at Royal Inland Hospital Dr. Todd Ring is seeing those challenges locally.

“We are certainly seeing quite a large number of children presenting with various respiratory symptoms — cough, fever, shortness of breath. Typical kind of respiratory symptoms but probably a little bit more severe then we would see, and a little bit earlier on,” said Ring.

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The more severe cases are leading to some children being admitted to the hospital, however Ring stated occupancy levels on the pediatric ward are manageable.

“Our occupancy definitely can fluctuate and if the pediatric ward would fill up, we have plans for overflow. The vast majority of kids who are presenting are still quite well, all things considered,” added Ring.

Medical Health Officer with IH Dr. Fatemeh Sabet noted that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions, most people have not suffered a respiratory illness in the past couple years, lowering their immune system response.

“When we become infected, our immune system becomes active and basically our immunity boosts. Because people have not been infected to the rates they have been prior to the pandemic, their immunity hasn’t been boosted,” said Sabet.

The physician noted that is why vaccination is important to help protect against the severe outcomes of infection.

“With all the protection that we were doing (during the pandemic), I think it has exposed ourselves now to seeing a bit more aggressive illness, our immunity isn’t quite there. I think there is a lot of illness that is circulating, certainly from a respiratory perspective this fall. That is certainly something we are seeing both in the emergency department at RIH,” stated Ring.

While Health Minister Adrian Dix has noted the hospitals may need to cancel surgeries, Royal Inland Hospital is not near that point.

“At this time, we are still managing the volumes as they come in. It is definitely making the emergency department busier than what we’ve seen in the past few months. But we are used to those fluctuations in volumes. With everybody’s patience, we think we can still safely get through the volumes we are seeing,” said Ring.