Doctors on vacation for the holidays, and an increase in flu cases are causing major congestion for a number of hospitals across Quebec.
"Most clinics and doctor's offices close down at this time of year (for the holidays), and so people have very few resources available to them if they're not feeling well," CJAD 800 medical contributor Dr. Mitch Shulman said.
"So, if your clinic is closed, your doctor's office is closed, you have no other choice, and that's entirely understandable."
Several emergency rooms in the Montreal area are at — or over — capacity, the Anna-Laberge Hospital Center in Chateauguay is at almost double capacity.
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"If you don't need to go (to an emergency room), then please don't go," added Shulman.
He explained you should look for alternatives before heading to a hospital if you aren't in urgent need of one.
Shulman gave the example of going to a clinic that is open in your area to do an x-ray if you think you've broken your foot.
Or if you have the flu, you should try to keep your fever down and drink lots of liquids.
"The line is, if you treat a flu it lasts seven days. If you don't treat it, it lasts a week. Which is my tongue in cheek way of saying there really is no treatment for a viral illness expect for support," Shulman said.
You can check online resources to figure out whether or not your symptoms require you to head into an emergency room.
Or you can call 8-1-1 and speak to a nurse over the phone, who will recommend what course of action you should take.
For emergency room statuses across Quebec, click here.