The Government of BC will add more staff and new phone lines on the 811 number as call volumes triple with COVID-19 concerns.
“We are adding more staff and more phone lines to resolve the intermittent busy signals some people have experienced,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix.
The government is also reminding people they can access information about COVID-19 from public health websites.
A new call centre to deal with non COVID-19 questions is also being planned.
811 is a free health information and advice phone line that is operated by HealthLink BC, which is part of the Ministry of Health.
Typically, 1,200 calls are made to the 811 number. That number has now tripled, with over 10,000 calls in the last three days alone.
Health Minister Adrian Dix commended the operators and nurses for keeping up with the high call volumes.
“Our 811 navigators and nurses are doing an incredible job with record high call volumes,” he said.
To access information about COVID-19, the government is recommending online information available on the British Columbia Centre for Disease control (BCCDC) website and HealthLink BC.
However, those who do show symptoms of COVID-19 are being asked to call 811. The nurse on the phone won’t diagnose people but can guide on the next steps.
“If you have symptoms, self-isolate, obviously, and call 811. They can tell you if you’re at risk or not. That’s how we manage it,” she said.