For the second time this month, Interior Health has extended an overnight closure at the Clearwater Emergency Room due to limited nursing availability.

Mayor Merlin Blackwell says the ER at the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital will be closed between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. from Aug. 26 to Sept. 2.

First closed for eight nights on Aug. 11, the ER closure was extended another eight nights last Friday, Aug. 19. It was supposed to return to 24-hour service today, though it was extended by another seven nights, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 2 – making it a total of 23 nights.

“It’s not a diversion, it’s an effing closure,” Blackwell said, in a tweet.

“Anonymous sources tell me BCEHS coverage for September has less than 35 per cent of the staff schedule filled for Clearwater. Combined with the [ER] closures, we are playing Russian Roulette with peoples health.”

While the Clearwater ER will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., it is currently only scheduled to return to 24-hour service at 7 a.m. on Sat. Sept. 3.

“The joke around town is plan your accidents, plan your emergencies because we are only open for these hours at the ER. It is wearing on people for sure,” Blackwell told NL News last week.

He also noted that a few nurses and a doctor have been hired to work in Clearwater, having previously mentioned that there should be some relief from the ongoing staffing shortages by mid-September.

“Nobody plans a heart attack, nobody plans a car accident, we really do need these things to get back to a 24/7 full coverage standard for both the emergency department and BC ambulance services throughout the region,” Blackwell added.

People are being told to call 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency, or call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 if they are not sure if they need to seek emergency care.

They’re also being directed to either Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops or the 100 Mile House District General Hospital.