The urgent care clinic in St. David’s will halve its weekday opening hours from the start of next week.

The Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre sees patients between 12pm and 8pm.

But the centre will open at 4pm during the week from next Monday.

X-ray services between Monday and Friday will also be suspended.

The weekend hours will remain the same - the clinic will patients from 9am until 9pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

A spokeswoman for the Bermuda Hospitals Board said the reduction in hours was part of the BHB’s winter planning schedule, first introduced last year. Next

Monday is the official start of winter.

The spokesman highlighted that evenings are the busiest time for the clinic.

The shortened opening schedule will be in place until the end of January next year.

Chikezie Dean Okereke, the Chief of Emergency at the Bermuda Hospitals Board, said the change would allow health professionals to concentrate resources at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Dr Okereke added: “This reduction in UCC hours allowed us to focus important resources on the Emergency Department, which always has an increase in seriously unwell people in winter.

“This year obviously has added challenges as we are in a pandemic and we are currently experiencing a steep rise in positive cases.”

Dr Okereke warned: “We may have to make further changes if these numbers continue to rise and our Emergency Department comes under greater pressure.”

He said last year’s hours cut improved efficiency at the Emergency Department and lowered waiting times.

Dr Okereke added: “We are however doing all we can to maintain the urgent care service at Southside.

“We know people in the East End appreciate having the service available.”

Dr Okereke said people who think they may have the coronavirus should not visit the clinic, but contact KEMH instead.

He added: “I would stress that people with Covid-19 symptoms should not turn up in person for care at any medical facility unless they have called in advance.

“I would add that the UCC is not the right place to call.

“The UCC does not offer Covid-19 testing, and more importantly for people who feel very unwell, the UCC, unlike the Emergency Department and KEMH, does not have inpatient acute or critical care services.”