COVID-19 TESTING

SELF-MONITORING AND SELF-ISOLATION GUIDELINES

If you have been advised to self-isolate or self-monitor, please refer to the information below.

Self-monitoring guidelines: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/factsheet-covid-19-self-monitor.pdf?la=en

Self-isolation guidelines: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/documents/ncov/factsheet-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate.pdf?la=en

As a reminder, Public Health always recommends everyday steps to help prevent the spread of germs and viruses:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

As with other viruses of this nature, transmission is thought to occur via respiratory droplets

For more information, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada or the Ministry of Health.

Date: Friday March 13, 2020

To: All Grandview Medical Centre Patients

Due to the current and impending COVID-19 pandemic, we will be making changes in the way we deliver your care. Our goal is to minimize potential exposure to as many people as possible, while freeing up resources to attend to those who require urgent care.

Starting immediately - we will no longer be booking routine appointments (including routine physicals, pap smears, wart treatments and ear syringes). If you have an appointment scheduled currently, you will be contacted to cancel or amend this appointment.

Additionally, we will be reviewing our schedules and incoming appointments-those that can be accomplished safely by telephone or a virtual visit (information to follow) will be booked as such. Those visits that are of a more urgent nature and require an in-person visit will still be offered this option. In order to help reduce the spread of the virus-we ask for your help. If you have respiratory symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches), have travelled outside of the country, or have had contact with someone with respiratory symptoms, and travel, we ask that you STAY HOME call our office or Public health at 1-800-265-7293 X 7006 for further direction. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEND OUR OFFICE WITHOUT INSTRUCTION IN THIS CASE.

As a community, our responsibility at this time is to minimize the virus spread and the impending impact on your health, and our healthcare system. WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU NOT ATTEND THE EMERGENCY ROOM UNLESS IT IS A CLEAR EMERGENCY.

In regards to your greater social obligations - we urge you to wash your hands and just stay home. Please reconsider attending large public venues, events and traveling. The more successful we are at social distancing, the best chance we have at minimizing the impact of this virus.

Thank your patience and understanding as we navigate this. These changes will be regularly assessed and are in place until further notice.