Noon News Update for May 7 2020

Thousands of cancelled surgeries will resume in BC hospitals, starting in a little over a week from now, but it will cost close to a quarter of a billion dollars to do it, and close to two years to catch up. The Minister of Health says over 14,000 scheduled surgeries were cancelled in mid-March, and 16,000 more from waitlists were put on hold to ensure hospital beds were available to treat COVID-19 patients. Now that the COVID case count has flattened, the system is taking advantage of that lull, along with the usual lull in surgical bookings in the summer. Adrian Dix says the catch-up plan includes extending operating room hours and performing operations on the weekends. To do that, 400 additional surgical nurses will be hired. The minister did not say how many extra surgeons and anesthesiologists are needed. Dix says surgical priority will be given to the most life-threatening cases like cancer surgeries, as well as other surgeries whose wait times exceed twice the recommended wait times. Private clinics will also be used to clear most of the backlog in day surgeries, like cataract surgery. The system hopes to be operating at full capacity by mid-June, but it will take between 18 months to two years to clear the 30,000 case backlog. And that number does not include waitlists, which will continue to grow. The other factor that could change these plans will be whether there are spikes in COVID-19 outbreaks. The surgical catch up is part of the province's Re-Start plan that includes the invitation to expand social circles, like hosting gatherings like dinner parties for small groups, starting on the May long weekend. Provincial parks will reopen for day use, as will some school classrooms for students who are struggling or need supervision while their parents are at work. Businesses that were closed will be allowed to reopen if they have COVID-19 safety plans that are approved by their industry associations and WorkSafe BC. They include dentists, chiropractors, physiotherapists, speech therapists, in-person counselors, along with pubs, restaurants, hair salons, museums, art galleries and libraries. Best practice guidelines for each of these industries will be unveiled in the coming days. BC's Provincial Health Officer says she's counting on British Columbians to think about how to conduct themselves under the new normal. You can see her recommendations for personal care and social interactions on our website.Written and reported by Lisa Cordasco. Senior Reporter and News Director for CHLY 101.7FM.Have a tip? Email: [email protected]: @lisacordasco / @chly1017FMFunded in part by the Local Journalism Initiative of the Government of Canada through Heritage Canada in partnership with the Community Radio Fund of Canada.