Quebec City residents were asked to avoid the five Swamp ERs in the face of staff shortages

On January 3, 2021, a hospital in Montreal is showing an emergency department sign. (The Canadian Press / Graham Hughes)

Quebec City residents are urged to avoid unnecessary trips to five emergency rooms suffering from staff shortages and overcrowding.

Center Hospitalier Universitea de Quebec states that a sustained mass of patients combined with staff challenges has created a “crisis situation” for the five hospital ERs.

As of Monday night, he added that more than 500 workers were absent from work for reasons related to COVID-19.

Patients are urged to avoid the emergency room unless emergency treatment is needed and instead consult a clinic or pharmacist or call the state’s 811 health hotline.

The hospitals in question are CHUL et Centermère-enfant Soleil, Hôpital del’Enfant-Jésus, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, Hôpital Saint-François d’Assise, Hôtel-Dieude Québec.

This notice occurs because hospitals throughout the state are struggling to maintain emergency services and are forced to partially close or redirect patients to another location.

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