The emergency department at the Barriere Health Centre is closed today because of limited staffing.

Interior Health says a staff member became unavailable at the last minute and the shift was not able to be filled. IH says this is not related to the vaccine mandate.

Anyone who needs emergency care in Barriere is being told to head to Royal Inland Hospital, some 60 kilometres away.

Because of three ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks, non-essential visitors are not allowed in Royal Inland, but the health authority has maintained that people should still go to the ER if they need emergency care.

The Barriere Health Centre is still open today for non-emergency services, like doctor appointments.

The emergency room in the health centre is expected to re-open as normal as Monday. It’s typically open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to IH.