The Royal Stoke University Hospital has seen a massive spike in people entering their emergency room. That’s alarming on its surface and you’d be right to wonder if there’s an epidemic of scaldings that Big Kettle doesn’t want you to know about. But the real reason is so much more stupid than that. Turns out that the Stoke-On-Trent emergency unit also happens to be a gym in Pokemon Go and trainers are popping in to try and take it.
The problem is so severe that the hospital posted a warning to their website urging players to stay out of the Accidents & Emergencies wing of the hospital. While they have no problem with people playing the game on the grounds of the hospital, they noted that the emergency room was off-limits.
“Members of the public who do not need to be at Royal Stoke should not attempt to enter A&E or any other part of the hospital building to play the game,” said Associate Chief Nurse Kevin Parker. ” We want the public to understand that anybody who visits the hospital solely to play the game will provide an unwanted distraction to the important work of the hospital.”
There is one exception. If you’re in the emergency room for legitimate medical reasons, you can continue to catch ’em all. Since trainers have already proven that they’re willing to catch a stabbin’ to snag digital monsters, this shouldn’t be too difficult a hurdle for the truly committed. Be careful if you decide not to listen to the rules, though: The BBC reports that if people continue clogging up the emergency room, the hospital will ask to have the gym currently on premises removed.
(Via the Telegraph)