PANDEMIC UPDATE
WHEN ANXIETY GOES VIRAL…INFORMATION IS YOUR BEST DEFENCE
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COVID UPDATES
The Public Health Agency of Canada has a wide range COVID-19 awareness resources available on its website. Visit https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/awareness-resources.html to access multiple information sheets on issues such as the differences between self-monitoring, self-isolation and isolation as well as advice for taking care of someone with COVID-19.
from India’s Consul General in Toronto
From Apoorva Srivastava, the Indian Consul General in Toronto:
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing our lives in a way few could have predicted. It has thrown tremendous and unprecedented challenges for all of us.
The federal and provincial governments have taken crucial steps, announcing actions to address the acute health, safety and economic needs of Canadians. However, the closure of colleges / universities across Canada has severely impacted Indian international students who have begun to face problems as Universities/ Colleges, businesses, restaurants have closed and hostels are being vacated. Consulate is being approached for assistance by these students as well as by several Indian tourists and visitors who are unable to go back to India and are now facing problem in finding accommodation, food and finances. The travel restrictions imposed by Government of India till April 14 is adding to the feeling of uncertainty.
Consulate is doing everything to assist under the given circumstances. Amidst calls for social distancing and work from home, Consulate officers are going to office and are working to cater to emergency consular services, answering queries on email, social media and emergency numbers. We have also tried to keep our media friends, print media outlets, community leaders and associations abreast with travel and other advisories coming out of India.
However, one thing that is clear is that navigating this challenge will require an approach that involves everyone. We need each other today more than ever. We are encouraged to learn that many individuals and organisations are coming forward to meet the needs of Indians in distress by sponsoring a community kitchen; making arrangement for a simple take-away meal or provide basic rations; providing accommodation / financial loans / help; institute helpline numbers for students to call or a group of volunteers to assist.
While we appeal to you, as a prominent leader of the community, to contribute in whatever way possible, we also need your urgent inputs to compile all existing resources / services available for the Indian students/stranded Indians in the following format:
Name of the organization
Area of operation (Toronto, GTA, Kitchener, etc)
Service being provided
Pick up/Delivery (if applicable)
Contact details/Helpline
Website/social media
Can consulate share their contacts to needy Indians
You are also requested to give details of any such service being offered by your organization, as well as any suggestions on what could be further done by us at this trying time.
The next few weeks will be critical, and the time to act is now. As we enter this uncharted territory, let us all resolve to come together to give succour to all Indian who are in distress and need immediate help.
I look forward to receiving your response at the earliest on the following emails: cgoss.toronto@mea.gov.in; culture.toronto@mea.gov.in.
COVIDIOTS FACE fines up to $100,000
Mayor Patrick Brown signed the Brampton COVID-19 Emergency Measures By-law to help protect the health and safety of residents. City Council directed staff to explore enhanced by-law enforcement at a Special Meeting of Council on March 25, 2020. The new by-law prohibits certain activities and regulates physical distancing to help contain the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Individuals not adhering to physical distancing regulation can be fined a minimum of $500 and maximum of up to $100,000 for each offence.
Municipal regulations under the by-law include:
Prohibiting people from maintaining less than a 2.0 metre distance from one another on any public property (other than people they live with);
Prohibiting businesses to permit people to be seated or to be standing less than 2.0 metres apart whether inside or outside the business (other than people they live with);
Prohibiting people from using any of the following City property: playgrounds and other structures in parks; leash-free dog parks;picnic shelters; outdoor sports facilities and outdoor fitness equipment, including sports fields, basketball and tennis courts; recreation centres and surrounding lands; and parking lots.
The City is committed to keeping Brampton residents informed and will continue to provide updates on the City’s response to COVID-19 as they become available. For more information on the above decisions and the City’s efforts to support the community in response to COVID-19, visit www.brampton.ca/COVID19 or follow @CityBrampton on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Quick facts:
At a COVID-19 Tele Town Hall with 15,708 participants on March 25, 2020, 76 per cent indicated via poll that they support City staff enforcing fines for those not maintaining physical distancing.
On March 27, 2020 the Province of Ontario advised municipalities that it had enacted legislation to empower the City’s municipal law enforcement officers to enforce the regulations passed by the Province under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
As of March 26, all 500+ parks and playgrounds in Brampton are closed to the public until further notice.
Recently, legislation was passed designating essential versus non-essential business in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.
If residents wish to report a non-compliant business, the use of City-owned facilities that are closed (other than essential services) or gatherings of more than five people, they are asked to call 311. A by-law enforcement officer and/or security personnel will investigate the complaint to ensure compliance and may lay charges when appropriate.
If residents wish to report a non-compliant food establishment such as a bar or restaurant, they are to report to Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700.
Ontario COVID-19 Assessment Centres
As of March 30, 2020- The Ontario Health Coalition has compiled this list from trusted media sources, hospital and public health websites, and by calling hospitals directly to confirm information. Please note things are changing rapidly. Different assessment centres have different criteria for access. Some do testing on site, some do not. This information is correct as of today. Please call or visit the websites of the hospital/assessment centres or public health units indicated below to check current status. As tests become more available they may be able to test more people. New assessment centres are being added daily.
People are wondering how and where to get tested. Many hospitals, Public Health Units and/or the Ontario government have set up assessment centres that are in separated areas of the hospital, or are drive-through, in trailers on hospital property, are offsite. This is to minimize the risk of transmission to other patients. Here is a list of the Assessment Centres in Ontario that we have been able to find and the testing criteria at this moment. Please note: information is changing quickly. Please confirm all information on your local public health unit website if you can. If the Ministry of Health puts together a comprehensive list for the province we will send out the link.
Please note:
The Ministry of Health website now has a statement requesting that people not go to assessment centres unless they have been referred by a health care professional. The Ministry is asking people to call their primary care provider or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. However, some people cannot access a referral. Some assessment centres are allowing walk-ins as noted below. Some are not. Below, you will see that some assessment centres are asking people to call local Public Health Units or Telehealth.
On Friday, March 13 the Ontario government announced only those with the most serious cases would be tested as they are rationing tests. The government of Ontario has directed hospitals to test only those with severe symptoms. It should be noted that some municipalities have since updated their testing criteria. For example, City of Toronto can be found here (https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-health-advice/covid-19-assessment-centres/). Criteria may also differ slightly from one assessment centre to the next. The following groups have been prioritized for testing by the Ontario government[i]:
o Symptomatic contacts of confirmed cases, until community transmission is established
o Individuals admitted to hospital with acute respiratory illness
o Health care workers with acute respiratory illness
o Individuals with acute respiratory illness who reside in long term care homes and retirement homes
o Individuals with acute respiratory illness who reside in other institutions and as directed by local public health officials
o Health care workers as part of a health care institutional outbreak and as directed by local public health officials
o First Nations community members living on-reserve with acute respiratory illness
Some hospitals are telling patients not to come in directly so that they do not get overwhelmed, they are asking for patients to get a referral. Some hospitals are telling patients that they can go to the assessment centre to be assessed as to whether they meet the criteria for a test. Some assessment centres are doing the tests (by that we mean taking the nasal swabs of patients) and some are not.
MORE CONTACT INFO
We have included information where we can find it, about what the instructions are for each town. Generally information is available on your local public health website under “COVID-19 updates” or similar heading. Here is the list of public health units/locations/contact.
The Ministry of Health in Ontario is asking people who have symptoms of COVID-19 (new dry cough, fever, difficulty breathing, potentially some other flu-like symptoms) to use a self-assessment tool – link is here -- first, then after you have used the self-assessment tool, call:
· your primary care provider (family doctor, nurse practitioner, community health centre) or
· call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or
· call your local Public Health Unit (list is here). (Note: it seems that some Public Health Units are overwhelmed and asking people not to call, but to call their primary care provider first.
If you are seriously sick please don’t let the attempts to ration tests and reduce overload on the system prevent you from getting the care you need. Everyone is simply trying to get the care to those who need it the most first.
Northern Ontario:
Elliot Lake: An assessment centre has opened at St. Joseph’s hospital in Elliot Lake. The hours of operation are Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:30 am and 2:00 pm. Patients exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate for fourteen days. Patients are asked not to visit the Emergency Department unless it is a medical emergency. Patients should call the Elliot Lake Family Health Team at 705-461-8882 if they are concerned that they could have been exposed to COVID-19. Patient inquiries will be screened and telephone interviews will be conducted to determine if a patient should be tested. Under physician orders, a Registered Nurse will be deployed to conduct the COVID-19 test at the patient’s home.
Espanola: A mobile COVID-19 assessment centre has opened for the residents of Espanola. The response team can be accessed by appointment only. Referrals can be made by any of the following services: Telehealth Ontario, Public Health Unit Sudbury & Districts, Sagamok Wellness Centre, Birch Island Health Centre, or by a family physician’s office. If you meet the screening criteria, your health-care provider will give you the number for the COVID-19 assessment centre phone line. The phone line will answer calls from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm daily from Monday to Friday. The response team will run from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm seven days a week.
Fort Frances: An assessment centre is open in Fort Frances at the Community Counselling Building, 206 Victoria Avenue. The centre is operating seven days a week between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm. Use the Victoria Street entrance and please note on-site directions will be given. The assessment centre sees patients by appointment only. Walk-in appointments are prohibited. Contact Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-000) or the Northwestern Health Unit (1-807-468-7109) to determine if you require an appointment at the assessment centre. If you require an appointment, Telehealth Ontario or the Northwest Health Unit will contact the assessment centre to identify your need for an appointment. The assessment centre will then contact you to schedule an appointment.
Kenora: An assessment centre has been opened at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital at 21 Sylvan Street. The assessment centre sees patients by appointment only. Walk-ins are prohibited. To schedule an appointment, call the Northwestern Health Unit, they can be reached at 807-468-3147 during regular office hours (i.e. Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm). If it is after regular office hours call 807-468-7109. Please note, the assessment centre is slated to be moved to the former land ambulance base next to Paterson Medical Clinic.
Manitoulin: Assessment centres have opened at both the Little Current and Mindemoya hospital sites to test possible cases of the virus away from the main hospital. COVID-19 testing is by appointment only. Anyone wishing to be tested must have a fever above 38 degrees Celsius and a new or worsening cough. They must have, in the 14 days before experiencing symptoms, been outside of Canada, had close contact with a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case or had close contact with someone who had COVID-19 symptoms and was themselves outside of Canada. Those who match the above criteria must call MHC at 705-368-2300 for Little Current or 705-377-5311 for Mindemoya and follow the phone prompts to reach the COVID-19 assessment line. That phone number will be monitored from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm every day. For the people whose symptoms warrant an in-person assessment, they will be given a time slot to visit one of the two sites which are open from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm from Monday to Friday.
North Bay: An assessment centre is open at the North Bay Regional Health Centre (NBRHC), located at 50 College Dr. The assessment centre has an entrance on the west end of the building, and has been sealed off from the rest of the hospital. When we called the hospital to ask about the assessment centre, we were told that if a person is experiencing symptoms to first call the Public Health Unit for instructions at 1-800-563-2808 or 705-474-1400. As noted above, please use the Ministry of Health COVID-19 self-assessment tool here (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0).
Rainy River: An assessment centre is open in Rainy River at the Rainy River Health Centre, 115 Fourth Street. The centre is operating seven days a week between the hours of 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. The entrance to the assessment centre is off Mill Avenue, near the back of Rainy River Health Centre. On-site directions will be given. The assessment centre sees patients by appointment only. Walk-in appointments are prohibited. Contact Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-000) or the Northwestern Health Unit (1-807-468-7109) to determine if you require an appointment at the assessment centre. If you require an appointment, Telehealth Ontario or the Northwest Health Unit will contact the assessment centre to identify your need for an appointment. The assessment centre will then contact you to schedule an appointment.
Red Lake: An assessment centre is open in Red Lake at the Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital. Access to this centre is by appointment only. Walk-in appointments are prohibited. Please contact the Assessment Centre at 807-727-7035 between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday to schedule an appointment, if necessary.
Sault Ste. Marie: Assessments and testing are being done at the former Kal Tire location at 165 Drive In Road, near the Sault Area Hospital. Patients must call first and be screened by phone. Walk-ins are prohibited. You must have symptoms (fever over 38 degrees Celsius) and/or cough (new or worsening) and in the last 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms have travelled outside of Canada, or had close interactions with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, or had close interactions with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 who recently travelled outside Canada or to an impacted area within Canada.. People in the Algoma region experiencing symptoms are encouraged to call the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 705-759-3434 ext. 7152 between the hours of 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., 7 days per week. People will be assessed by phone and scheduled to go in if they meet the criteria. Individuals with general questions should not call Sault Area Hospital. Instead, please contact Algoma Public Health at (705) 759-5404 (toll-free 1-866-892-0172 ext. 5404) or visit their website.
Sudbury: Assessments and testing are being done a block from the hospital at Health Sciences North Research Institute at 56 Walford Rd in Sudbury. This screening is by appointment only. Walk-ins are prohibited. For an appointment at the assessment centre the following criteria must be met: Fever (over 38 degrees Celsius) and/or cough (new or worsening) and in the last 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms have travelled outside of Canada, or had close interactions with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, or had close interactions with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 who recently travelled outside Canada or to an impacted area within Canada. . For patients who may have difficulty going in for an assessment, arrangements will be made for an assessment at home from an employee of the Greater Sudbury Community Paramedicine Program. An individual who meets the criteria above must call the assessment centre at 705-671-7373 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. rather than going to the hospital's emergency department. Basic intake information will be taken and a clinician will call them back for the next steps. Anyone with general questions should call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705-522-9200 or toll-free 1-866-522-9200 and not the hospital.
Thunder Bay: The assessment centre is located in a series of trailers just outside the emergency department at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. It is meant to serve only those directed there for screening by Telehealth Ontario or the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. Patients must have a referral. Walk-ins are prohibited. Anyone concerned they may be experiencing symptoms of the virus should call the health unit at (807) 625-5900 or Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000.
Timmins: An assessment centre has been set up in Timmins, located at Intrepid Place, which is located within the Canadian Mental Health Association Cochrane Timiskaming Branch building at 330 Second Ave., Suite 201. The centre is open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:30 am and 12:30 pm. The centre is by appointment only and does not provide walk-in service. A referral is required from a family doctor, Public Health or Telehealth. The local health unit can be reached at 705-267-1181 or 1-800-461-1818. The number for Telehealth Ontario is 1-866-797-0000.
Southwestern Ontario:
Brant County: An assessment centre is open at the civic centre auditorium in Brantford, located at 79 Market Street South. The hours of operation are between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm, seven days a week. The process begins with a self-assessment, which means answering a series of questions which can be found at covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q1 . Depending on the answers to the self-assessment questions, a recommendation could be made to seek a clinical assessment for COVID-19 over the phone. People will be directed to call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or their health-care providers. After completing those steps, potential COVID-19 patients then would call the Brant Community Healthcare System hotline at 519-751-5818 to book an appointment at the assessment centre. Such a referral is required, as walk-ins are prohibited at the assessment centre.
Chatham: The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) has a COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 47 Emma Street in Chatham in partnership with the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit. Hours of operation will be between 9 a.m to 5 p.m., seven days a week with potential to expand based on need. The hospital is telling patients not to walk in. Call family doctor, telehealth or the Health Unit first. Phone number for Chatham Public Health: 519-355-1071 ext 1900.
Guelph: Guelph’s COVID-19 assessment centre has opened at 65 Delhi Street. The centre is open seven days a week between the hours of 8:00 am and 8:00 pm. The centre is advising residents not to visit the centre if they do not have symptoms or if symptoms are mild. If symptoms are moderate with fever, cough or shortness of breath, the centre is advising residents to call their family doctor to arrange an over-the-phone assessment. The family doctor may decide that it is best for you to go to the assessment centre. Alternatively, you can call Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health at 1-800-265-7293 ext 7006 to conduct an over the phone assessment with a public health nurse. If deemed necessary they will schedule you an appointment at the assessment centre.
London: An assessment centre has opened at Oakridge Arena, 825 Valetta Street. It is an assessment centre but does not actually conduct the tests for COVID-19. Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This assessment centre is an out-of-hospital clinic where people can be seen by a healthcare provider for COVID-19 related concerns, rather than have them visit an Emergency Department, Urgent Care Centre or their family doctor’s office. It is intended to educate and provide further medical guidance as well as to triage individuals and determine the next steps in their care. There will be no medication or treatment onsite at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre. There is no testing done at this centre.
A second assessment centre in London is open at the Carling Heights Optimist Community Centre at 656 Elizabeth St. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. This assessment centre, run by the Public Health Unit, is not currently doing the tests at that site, they are assessing people for testing. The Health Unit recommends anyone concerned first consider a self-assessment, under guidelines provided by the here (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0). People can also contact Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000.
Sarnia-Lambton: An assessment centre has opened in Sarnia, however the address of the facility operated by Bluewater health is not being made public. Walk-ins are prohibited. People must call their primary health care provider who will conduct an assessment and if it is determined that further testing is necessary the primary provider will schedule for the patient an appointment at the assessment centre. The assessment centre will call the patient to schedule an appointment. People are advised to go to the ER if they are acutely ill.
Windsor: An assessment centre has been opened at the Windsor Regional Hospital at the former outpatient clinic entrance (off Goyeau St.). It is a segregated area next to the Ouellette campus emergency department. It is open 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, seven days a week, and expanded based on demand. Please note, there will be no access into the main hospital from this area or access into the COVID-19 Assessment Centre from the main hospital. All-access will be from the entrance off of Goyeau Street. Only those who meet the case definition for COVD-19 will be tested. Right now, that includes: people with symptoms including a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath, people who have travelled to an area that has been affected and are experiencing symptoms, or people who have come into contact with a probable or confirmed case of the disease. Before going to the assessment centre, people who are concerned about potential exposure are asked first call their primary care provider (family doctor/nurse practitioner or equivalent), or the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit 519-258-2146 ext. 1420 or Telehealth 1-866-797-0000. The hospital asks that you check their dedicated COVID-19 webpage for updates as this information is subject to change at any time.
Hamilton/Niagara:
Note: for Brantford pls see Southwestern Ontario.
Hamilton: Assessment centres are at the St. Joseph's Healthcare King Campus Urgent Care centre at 2757 King St. E. and in the west end at the West End Clinic at 690 Main St. W. The St. Joseph’s Healthcare King Campus Urgent Care Centre will be open from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm Monday to Friday and from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The West End Clinic is open from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm Monday to Friday and from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Hamilton test centres will only see people by appointment who have a referral from their doctor or public health. A potential third centre on standby is the Stonechurch Family Health Centre. The centres will only test those who have symptoms and meet certain criteria.
Niagara: An assessment centre is open at 5673 North St. in Niagara Falls behind Greater Niagara General Hospital, it will be used as a hub to assess and test people who are suspected of having the infection. The centre is accessible only by referral from the Public Health Unit. Walk-ins are prohibited.
A second centre has opened in the Niagara region, in St. Catharines. It is located behind the Walker Family Cancer Centre at the rear of the St. Catharines Site at 1200 Fourth Ave. There is signage at the site to direct people to the centre and parking. Those who believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 can contact Public Health at 905-688-8248 ext. 7019 or toll free at 1-888-505-6074 for an initial screening. Based on that assessment, patients may be referred to the Assessment Centre. Walk-ins are prohibited. Anyone needing emergency care should call 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Department.
Toronto: Assessment centres are open at the following sites. They have different rules and criteria.
Humber River Regional Hospital: An assessment centre is open at 2111 Finch Avenue West. Hours: Monday to Friday from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Use the west entrance for assessments. People are asked to do a self-assessment before showing up at the centre. For more information call the centre at 416-744-2500. The hospital is advising patients to call Telehealth Ontario first to be screened at 1-866-797-0000 or use the self-assessment tool prior to going to the assessment centre.
Michael Garron Hospital (East Toronto): An assessment centre is open at the hospital at 825 Coxwell Avenue, outpatient clinic location in D-wing, 1st floor; accessed from Mortimer Avenue. No walk-ins. By appointment only. Hours: 7 days/week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The COVID-19 Assessment Centre provides screening, assessment and testing for individuals in East Toronto who are experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19. Community members with potential COVID-19 symptoms (e.g. fever, new or worsening cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, runny nose and joint aches) who feel they need to be assessed for COVID-19 should phone the Assessment Centre. On the call, patients will be screened for travel and contact history and symptoms, and guided to self-monitor, self-isolate at home, come to the Assessment Centre, or go to the Emergency Department. The Assessment Centre is not open for walk-in visits. Please call ahead to book an appointment: 416-469-6858. Patients who need to go to the Assessment Centre will be offered a booked appointment. The hospital’s 24-hour emergency department has a dedicated zone for assessment also.
Mount Sinai Hospital (downtown): The assessment centre is not open yet. (It may be open on Friday, but this is not confirmed) When it is open, the hospital is listed as having a COVID-19 assessment centre at the hospital at 600 University Avenue on the ground floor, open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. The link to the website does not provide any additional information. You can reach the hospital at 416-586-4800. Again, please note, at the time of writing this list the assessment centre is not open yet.
North York General Hospital (Leslie St. just north of the 401): An assessment centre is located in the emergency department is open from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm seven days a week. The hospital is encouraging people to do a pre-assessment by calling Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) or by using the Toronto COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool at https://covid19toronto.ca/. There are no further requirements at this time. For more information call the main line at 416-756-6000.
Scarborough Hospital – Birchmount Road site: An assessment centre is located in front of the hospital. At this time, patients will not be tested unless they are demonstrating serious symptoms. The hours of operation 9:00 am to 6:00 pm seven days a week. The hospital is encouraging people to do self-assessment first online by visiting www.shn.ca/covid-19. For more information call the main line at 416-495-2400.
Scarborough Health Network – Centenary Hospital: An assessment centre is open in Scarborough at the Centenary hospital, located at 2867 Ellesmere Rd. The centre is open seven days a week between the hours of 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. The centre is located outside of the hospital building, on the East side heading toward the Emergency department, and is accessible from Neilson Rd. Please follow the directions on-site. Visit the centre only if you have symptoms of a respiratory tract infection or fever, including cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, runny nose, or joint aches, AND if you have been instructed by Public Health to visit the centre, or if you work in a vulnerable or at risk setting. These settings include, school or childcare centres, retirement homes, homeless shelters, prisons, or any healthcare setting such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, complex continuing care, rehabilitation centres, and dialysis centres, or other settings with vulnerable populations.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Blythwood Rd. North of Eglinton Ave. E. and Bayview Ave.): An assessment centre is now open at the hospital. People who are going to the Assessment Centre must enter through the U-Wing entrance. Do not enter Sunnybrook through any other entrance. Patients are encouraged to call Toronto Public Health first before coming to their assessment centre. Walk-ins are now permitted. Hours of operation: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm seven days per week. For more information call the main line of the hospital at 416-480-6100. People with symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, runny nose and who work (or have close contacts who work) in the following settings should go to the assessment centre: in a long-term care facility, in complex continuing care, in a rehabilitation centre, in an acute care hospital, dialysis centre, retirement home, homeless shelter, prison or other settings with vulnerable populations. Other individuals from the community who are experiencing symptoms who should go to the assessment centre, include: those older than 60 who have heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, active cancer or are on dialysis. Only one person per household will be tested.
UHN Toronto Western Hospital (Dundas & Bathurst): An assessment centre has opened at Toronto Western hospital, located at 347 Bathurst St., on the northeast corner of Bathurst and Dundas St. Before coming to the Assessment Centre, the hospital is encouraging people to check the self-assessment tool at https://covid19toronto.ca or call Telehealth Ontario at 1 866 797 0000. An appointment is not required. The centre is open seven days a week between the hours of 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Unity – St. Joseph’s Health Centre (near Parkdale/High Park): An assessment centre is open on the first floor of the Sunnyside building. Enter from Sunnyside Avenue beside the parking lot. The centre is open from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm seven days a week (for now). Must arrive before 8:30 pm to be seen. For more information call the hospital’s main line at 416-530-6000.
Unity – St. Michael’s Hospital (downtown): An assessment centre is across the street from the hospital on the first floor of the Li Ka Shing building (38 Shuter Street). Hours: from 9 am to 7 pm seven days a week. In alignment with new Toronto Region COVID-19 Hospital Operations group guidelines, COVID-19 Assessment Centres will now focus on symptoms, and testing in the assessment centres will be limited to those who have mild symptoms and are at risk of transmitting COVID-19 to large groups of people, including: those who work in at-risk settings (i.e. hospitals, long-term care), those who reside in vulnerable settings (i.e. homeless, prison, retirement home), those who have been sent by Toronto Public Health (i.e. from areas with active cluster outbreaks). Everyone else, including those with mild symptoms who have returned from travel, does not need testing unless they get sick enough to go to the Emergency Department, according to the website. Must do a pre-assessment over the phone first before visiting the assessment centre. To do the pre-assessment over the phone call 416-360-4000.
Women’s College Hospital (downtown): A walk-in assessment centre is at the hospital, 76 Grenville Street. To get to the assessment center enter through the back entrance of the hospital. Hours of operation from 9 am to 8 pm. seven days a week. You do not need an appointment but note this is not an urgent care centre – the only service being provided is COVID-19 assessment. Children under the age of two are currently not being seen at the assessment centre. For more information call 416-323-6400.
GTA:
Georgetown: An assessment centre is open at Georgetown hospital at 1 Princess Anne Dr., Georgetown, Ontario. Patients are seen by appointment only. To make an appointment call the Halton Health Care COVID-19 telephone hotline 905-203-7963.
Milton: An assessment centre is open at Milton District Hospital at 725 Bronte Street South, Milton. Patients are seen by appointment only. To make an appointment call the Halton Health Care COVID-19 telephone hotline 905-203-7963.
Oakville: An assessment centre is open at Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, 3001 Hospital Gate, Oakville. Patients are seen by appointment only. To make an appointment call the Halton Health Care COVID-19 telephone hotline 905-203-7963.
Markham/Stouffville: An assessment centre is located at the Markham site. The COVID-19 Assessment Centre cannot be accessed from inside of the hospital. The entrance is located on the south side of the hospital, east of the Emergency Department, see map. COVID-19 Assessment Centre parking is in lot #7. Hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., daily (Hours may change based on community need and volume). The assessment centre provides provides screening, assessment and testing for individuals in Markham, Stouffville, Uxbridge and surrounding area who are experiencing possible symptoms of COVID-19. Before coming to the COVID-19 Assessment Centre, patients should call Telehealth 1-866-797-0000, York Region Public Health 1-877-464-9675, or their family doctor. They will advise on the best course of action, and whether or not to go to the Assessment Centre.
Newmarket: An assessment centre is open at Southlake Regional Health Centre, located at 596 Davis Drive in Newmarket. The assessment Centre located in the Ambulance Bay next to the Emergency Department. The hours of operation are between 9:00 an and 9:00 pm, seven days a week. The centre is recommending people use the Ontario Ministry of Health’s self-assessment tool (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0) to help determine is they should come to the assessment centre. The centre is taking walk-ins but it should be noted that not all those arriving to the centre will be tested. Patients sent to the Assessment Centre will be assessed by a physician, who will make a clinical determination if a test is required.
Peel:
The Credit Valley Hospital has an assessment centre located at the hospital at 2200 Erin Mills Parkway. Hours of operation are between 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, seven days a week. To get tested, the hospital is telling patients to go to the Emergency Department at the hospital where they will conduct preliminary screening and direct you to get further testing done if necessary. For more information call the main line of the hospital at 905-813-2200.
The Mississauga Hospital has an assessment centre located on the premises of the hospital. The address of the hospital is 100 Queensway West. Hours of operation are between 8:00 am to 9:30 pm. Walk-ins, are prohibited. Patients must call Peel Public Health first 905-799-7700, or alternatively can visit the Emergency Department.
William Osler Health System has an assessment centred located at Peel Memorial Centre at 20 Lynch Street, Brampton. Hours of operation are between 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, seven days a week. No referral necessary. Any person who has mild symptoms of Upper Respiratory Tract Infection/Flu-like Illness and to which any of the following criteria apply will be assessed: fever greater than or equal to 38 degrees Celsius, underlying immunocompromised (e.g., Chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, Dialysis), over the age of 60 years, referred by public health due to contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19, health care workers in any acute care, long-term care or primary care setting (prioritized).
An assessment centre has been opened by the Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville at the top parking lot of 140 Rolling Hills. Hours: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Anyone with mild symptoms is being recommended to stay home and self-isolate. Directional signage and directional assistants will be available to direct drivers to the drive-through COVID-19 assessment centre. A member of the care team will assess them while they are still in the vehicle. Based on the initial assessment made by the care team, a decision will be made whether or not to test for the virus.
Richmond Hill: An assessment centre is open at Mackenzie Health at 15 Trench St., Richmond Hill. Walk ins are prohibited. Referrals must be from Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.
Central Ontario/Grey Bruce:
Barrie: An assessment centre is open, located at the back of the Eagle Ridge complex at 490 Huronia Road, not directly at the urgent care clinic. Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Currently, tests are not being done at this centre. Patients are being assessed and referred for testing according to criteria. Walk-ins are accepted. Patients are asked to first do a self-assessment, under guidelines provided by the here (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0).
Collingwood: An assessment centre is open, located in a tent set up in front of the emergency entrance in the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (CGMH) parking lot. The assessment centre is not a testing centre, as no swab tests will be given. Those who believe they have symptoms of the virus can be assessed at the centre and will then be "directed to the appropriate area for treatment."
CGMH has an online COVID-19 self-assessment tool here (https://cgmh.on.ca/news-article/covid-19-self-assessment---march-15-2020-) to help patients better understand if it's necessary to seek medical attention.
Hanover: An assessment centre is located at the Hanover and District Hospital at 90 7th Avenue, Hanover. Hours: open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Drive up to the main entrance of the hospital. A nurse will do a pre-assessment at the patient’s car. No appointments necessary. The assessment centre is screening patients who have COVID-19 symptoms “who are having difficulty managing at home”. For more information call 519-364-2340.
Kincardine: An assessment centre is open at the Kincardine Hospital at 1199 Queen Street N, Kincardine. Hours: daily from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The portable facility is located between the hospital and the medical clinic. No appointments necessary. The assessment centre is screening patients who have COVID-19 symptoms “who are having difficulty managing at home”. For more information call 519-396-3331.
Midland: As assessment centre is open in Midland by appointment only. The facility is located next to the Chigamik Community Health Centre at 845 King Street, Unit 3. Walk-ins are prohibited. There are three ways to access an appointment with the assessment centre, including by visiting the Georgian Bay hospital’s website (http://gbgh.on.ca/covid-19-self-assessment-tool/), or by calling the assessment centre booking desk at 705-529-1025 or Ontario Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000. The booking desk is open seven days a week between the hours of 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Orillia: An assessment centre is open in the Kiwanis building on Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital campus. Please enter the assessment centre on Volunteer Drive from Mississaga Street – Volunteer Drive has temporarily been designated as a one-way street. Hours: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. The last patient will be seen at 6:30 p.m. You will be assessed by a nurse from your vehicle to determine the next steps. Walk up patients will be asked to wait outside in line until they are assessed by a nurse. The hospital is asking patients who think they have symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, to please review the COVID-19 self-assessment tool to help determine if they need to come to the Assessment Centre.
Owen Sound Regional Hospital: An assessment centre is located at 1800 8th Street E, Owen Sound. Hours: open daily from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The portable facility is just outside of the emergency department of the Owen Sound Hospital. For more information call 519-376-2121. Owen Sound is using a call centre for people considering whether to come to the assessment centre. The number is 519-378-1466.
Eastern Ontario and Southeastern Ontario, Peterborough and the Kawarthas:
Hawkesbury: An assessment centre is open in Hawkesbury at 750 Laurier Street. The centre is open Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The centre is recommending people to call 911 or go to a hospital emergency if they are experiencing severe symptoms such. If symptoms are mild, where there is no shortness of breath and symptoms can be managed at home, the centre is asking people to self-isolate for 14 days or until 24 hours after symptoms have fully recovered, whichever is longer. If symptoms are escalating but not severe, and you have either travelled outside of Canada or been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days, visit the assessment centre or call your primary health care provider. If both are closed, go to the hospital emergency department. If you are 70 years old or older and cannot get to the assessment centre, or have special considerations, call the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) at 613-933-1375 or 1-800-267-7120.
Kingston: An assessment centre is open at the Memorial Centre in Kingston, at 303 York Street. The centre is set-up to assess returning travellers, as well as community residents who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, or difficulty breathing. The assessment centre operates seven days a between the hours of 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. Large signage will direct people to the main entrance, just off York Street. The Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington Health Unit is encouraging people to use the online self-assessment tool from the Ontario Ministry of Health before showing up to the centre (the online tool can be found here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0), however they are also accepting walk-ins.
Lindsay/Kawartha Lakes: An assessment centre is open at the Lindsay Exhibition. Walk-ins are prohibited. Patients should contact the assessment centre only if referred by Telehealth, Public Health or a care provider. If a person has symptoms as indicated by their self-assessment results, contact your primary care provider (family doctor/nurse practitioner/equivalent) or Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 or the HKPR District Health Unit (www.hkpr.on.ca) at 1-866-888-4577 ext. 5020. Again, patients should contact the RMH COVID-19 Assessment Centre only if referred by Telehealth, Public Health, or other care provider. The assessment centre can be reached at 705-328-6217. The hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8a.m.-4p.m.
Northumberland Hills: An assessment centre is open at Northumberland Hills in the Ambulatory Care Clinic area of the hospital at 1000 DePalma Drive (immediately inside the main front entrance). Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with hours of operation changing as needed. The centre provides assessment and testing. Walk-ins are permitted at this time. Individuals may also call the Assessment Centre directly during its 8AM to 8PM operating hours to determine in advance if they are not sure if they should be assessed at 905-377-7783. People can also call: HKPR District Health Unit – 1-866-888-4577 ext. 5020 or Telehealth Ontario – 1-866-797-0000.
Ottawa: An assessment centre is open at Brewer Park Arena, 151 Brewer Way, accessed from Bronson Avenue opposite Carleton University, open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. It is an out-of-hospital clinic where people will be assessed by a health-care provider and tested for COVID-19 if required. It is operated by The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and CHEO, in partnership with Ottawa Public Health (OPH) and the City of Ottawa. They are telling patients to go to the Assessment Centre, not the Emergency Department, if: you have a new or worsening cough and/or fever and in the past 14 days have either travelled outside of Canada or been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Patients who meet the criteria will be tested.
Peterborough: A mobileassessment centre is open at Peterborough Regional Health Centre at 1 Hospital Drive. Assessments are available by appointment only after completion of a self-assessment ( https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/#q0). Patients are being directed to call Peterborough Public Health at 705-743-1000 ext. 401 to get a referral to the assessment centre if they meet the criteria.
Smiths Falls: An assessment centre is open at the Smith Falls site of the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital (PSFDH). The PSFDH says patients will need an appointment to be tested for COVID-19 at what will essentially be a drive-up clinic at its Smiths Falls site. Patients will be asked to drive up to the hospital's main entrance on Elmsley Street North and wait for an in-vehicle assessment. Patients can be referred by Telehealth Ontario who can be reached at 1-866-797-000, the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit who can be reached at 613-283-2740, or by a primary care provider.
New Funding Will Support THE FIGHT
The Ontario government is providing $200 million in social services relief funding to help protect the health and safety of the province's most vulnerable people in response to the outbreak of COVID-19
The province will be providing municipalities and organizations that administer social services with funding to support them in their response to COVID-19. The funding will help municipalities and social service providers such as shelters, food banks, emergency services, charities and non-profits continue to deliver their critical services, hire additional staff, and find ways to promote social distancing and self-isolation to keep clients safe and healthy. Ontario's municipal service managers will determine local needs and distribute the funding, ensuring clients are receiving the support they need.
"Our government will spare no expense to protect the health and safety of all Ontarians," said Premier Doug Ford. "We are doing our part to show the Ontario spirit and we will make sure no one gets left behind. Organizations across the province are doing critical work right now to help vulnerable Ontarians and these funds will allow them to directly help those who need it most."
The funding will also help individuals who do not qualify for emergency financial supports under federal programs. The government is putting in place an expanded Emergency Assistance program administered through Ontario Works (OW) to cover these individuals' needs such as food, rent, informal childcare, and services. There will also be discretionary benefits available to those who already receive social assistance.
This new funding will help individuals and families in financial crisis who are not able to access federal assistance to cover needs such as food, rent, medicine, transportation and other services during this public health crisis. Funding will also be made available to organizations delivering social services to vulnerable First Nations individuals and families. Individuals can apply online at Ontario.ca/community.
"Protecting our most vulnerable is an absolute priority, as the COVID-19 crisis continues to develop," said Todd Smith, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. "We're expanding access to temporary emergency assistance so that individuals who have no other means of financial support can stay safe and healthy."
This fund will also help local communities support their shelter systems during this health crisis. The province's 47 municipal service managers will deliver this funding, ensuring clients are receiving the support they need, and will make local decisions on community funding.
"We are acting quickly to support those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless during this unprecedented time," said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "This funding will go straight to communities, who know best what the immediate needs are on the ground in their local shelters."
"This new funding will provide much needed support to our province's most vulnerable as we continue to take decisive action to contain the spread of COVID-19," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "If Ontario is going to successfully flatten the curve, it's vital that we ensure that all Ontarians have the resources they need to protect their health and well-being.
Quick facts:
Ontario has announced a $304 million investment in COVID-19 response, including $20 million for residential facilities in developmental services, gender-based services and protective care for children and youth.
To further bolster safety measures for social-assistance clients and caseworkers, the government has also temporarily removed the requirement for clients to provide written documentation at this time. Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) payments will be made as usual and will continue based on previous levels of income support. Individuals will not have to visit their local office to provide written documentation during this time. If individuals need to connect with their caseworker, they are encouraged to connect over the phone instead of visiting in person.
Ontario State of Emergency
The Government of Ontario declared a State of Emergency on March 17. As a result of the declaration, the following businesses are required to close as of March 17:
All facilities providing indoor recreational programs (includes gyms, fitness centers and yoga studios)
All licensed child care centres
All bars and restaurants except to the extent that such facilities provide takeout food and delivery
All theatres, including those offering live performances of music, dance and other art
Support for businesses
Ontario is expected to announce business supports in its upcoming spring economic update on March 25, 2020.
Support for self-employed
The government of Ontario has indicated that there will be supports for the self-employed announced shortly; however, there are no details at this time.
Support for employees
If you need to lay off employees temporarily, there is no requirement to give or pay notice since the employee is not being terminated.
In Ontario, employers have the option to temporarily lay off employees for up to 13 weeks. After 13 weeks, the lay off becomes permanent and severance pay rules will apply.
Ontario has extended job-protection for employees unable to work because:
The employee is under medical investigation, supervision or treatment for COVID-19.
The employee is acting in accordance with an order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act.
The employee is in isolation or quarantine.
The employee is acting in accordance with public health information or direction.
The employer directs the employee not to work.
The employee needs to provide care to a person for a reason related to COVID-19 such as a school or day-care closure.
The protections are retroactive to January 25, 2020.
Ontario employers are also restricted from asking for doctor’s notes for COVID-19 related leaves, including quarantine, self-isolation or childcare responsibilities due to COVID-19 related school and daycare closures.
Workers’ Compensation
Currently, Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) is operating as business as usual. Stay tuned to the WSIB website for the latest updates.
How you can help the province
The Government of Ontario announced a new website to help businesses work with the province to meet the challenges of COVID-19. Any business that could produce - or reconfigure to produce - essential equipment, from ventilators and masks to swabs and eye-protection, is encouraged to visit the Ontario Together webpage.
What is CFIB doing?
CFIB’s Ontario legislative team is working around the clock to make sure government officials know what your business needs are. Currently we are asking the Ontario government to:
Implement a provincial wage subsidy to keep employees on payrolls and avoid layoffs
Provide relief from penalties and interest for late remittances of Employer Health Tax (EHT) and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) premium payments
Provide WSIB rebates this year so that surplus funds are returned to the employers who paid them
Freeze all audits across government
Eliminate time-of-use electricity pricing
Delay the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) 2020 assessments for at least one year
Encourage municipalities to waive interest and penalty fees for any late property tax payments
Ontario Extending Validation Periods for Driver, Vehicle and Carrier Products, Services and Health Cards
As part of the province's enhanced measures, the Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services and ServiceOntario, is extending the validity period of driving products, services and health cards. These changes reduce the need for in-person visits to ServiceOntario, International Registration Plan offices and DriveTest centres during the COVID-19 outbreak, helping to promote social distancing and contain the spread of the virus.
These new regulations include extensions for driver licences, licence plate validation, Ontario Photo Cards, and Commercial Vehicle Operator Registration certificates, among others. Expiring and expired health cards will continue to provide access to health services.
The Ministry of Transportation is also automatically extending the due dates for medical or vision reports, which both reduces the need for in-person visits, but also ensures that patients do not need to visit their doctors, helping the health system to focus on containing COVID-19.
"We have a responsibility to Ontarians to ensure that we take every possible step to enable social distancing and stop the spread of COVID-19," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "By implementing these additional measures, Ontarians can avoid putting themselves at risk and will continue to have access to the services that they need, when they need them."
This extension will be in place until such time that, based on the advice of Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials, the current situation improves.
"We're working with all partners across the system to do everything we can to contain this virus and ensure that the system is prepared to respond to any scenario," said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. "These changes will help relieve the burden already faced by Ontarians and businesses by providing more time to renew their licences and permits without being penalized, while also reducing the need for in-person visits."
The Ministry of Transportation will continue to deliver time-critical services, including Motor Vehicle Inspection Station Stock orders and Single-Trip Oversize/Overweight permits.
"We urge our customers not to visit a ServiceOntario centre unless absolutely necessary," said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Government and Consumer Services. "We encourage people to complete transactions online or use the extended validation period, and to follow the advice of our medical professions and stay at home."
As per advice from the Chief Medical Officer, we are encouraging everyone to take appropriate measures to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus. This includes staying home if you are sick and avoiding contact with people who are sick.
Quick facts:
The public can visit ServiceOntario.ca for a full list of products and services that are affected by this change.
More than 40 services are already available online – please visit ServiceOntario.ca/services for more detail.
There is no vaccine available to protect against the 2019 novel coronavirus, but there are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses. To find out more visit Ontario's website.
National Migrant Rights Coalition Calls for Changes to COVID-19 Response
The Migrant Rights Network, Canada’s migrant rights coalition, is calling on federal and provincial decision makers to ensure just access to migrant and undocumented people in the COVID-19 response. Over 37 migrant organizations from across Canada are calling for supports for over 1.5 million non-permanent residents in Canada (not including tourists) who face a potential human rights disaster. Many migrants are on work or study permits or are undocumented. Right now:
Some migrants have no health coverage, or are awaiting a health card or are in the 3 month waiting period where health coverage is not available;
Immigration laws allow for deportation if a worker is sick, or denial of permanent residency (medical inadmissibility);
Workers lack the ability to assert rights to refuse unsafe work due to reprisals;
Workers lack paid sick leave, and face reprisals when they take time off;
Workers face exclusions from Employment Insurance because of the nature of jobs or high hours requirement, or are excluded from special benefits;
Live-in migrant care workers - mostly women - are unable to leave homes, and are forced to work without a break;
Overcrowded and sub-standard housing for migrant farmworkers in employer controlled housing is making basic safety precautions difficult or impossible;
Migrant students who rely on on-campus jobs and housing are suffering from campus closures;
Continued deportations to unsafe regions is putting lives at risk, and immigration detentions continue while infections rise in prisons;
Potential border closures threaten to shut out refugees, migrant workers, students and residents who must travel, some to maintain immigration status;
ID requirements for emergency services such as food banks, shelters and more exclude undocumented people; and
The economic downturn is causing reduction in hours and wages for migrants with no income support, pushing many into crises.
The Migrant Rights Network is making specific policy proposals to all levels of government to ensure no migrants are left behind:
Free healthcare - including testing - for all, without health card or wait period requirements;
A Federal emergency fund to provide a non-repayable allowance for those experiencing a loss or interruption of earnings;
Access to paid emergency leave as needed, with a minimum of 21 days for all workers, regardless of immigration status;
An immediate moratorium on all immigration enforcement (detentions and deportations);
Work permit and permanent resident status rules must be relaxed or removed, and open permits granted swiftly to workers in transition;
Migrant and non-status families must be granted access to housing, shelter, universal child care, food, and other basic protections freely without economic barriers, or fear of immigration enforcement;
Clear policies and mechanisms must be created to stop the rise of xenophobia and racism; and
Migrant and community organizations should be included in planning and implementation of the current response to ensure that no one is left behind.
Read the full list of demands and names of signatories: www.MigrantRights.ca/COVID19 .
For more information, contact Syed Hussan, Executive Director, Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, 416-453-3632.
ONTARIO Expanding Telehealth Resources
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to evolve locally and globally, Ontario is taking further action to ensure the province's health care system is prepared to continue to protect the health and well-being of Ontarians.
Working closely with Telehealth Ontario, the province is rapidly expanding service capacity to ensure timely responses. This is a critical step to help address the increased daily call volumes and reduce call wait times.
"By immediately expanding Telehealth's resources, we can significantly reduce the time it takes for Ontarians to receive the information they need to stay safe and healthy," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "We are also initiating further discussions with our nursing partners to ensure there are Telehealth resources in place moving forward as COVID-19 continues to evolve. We will be ready for any scenario."
Phase 1: Immediately Increase Resources to Reduce Call Wait Times
Yesterday, the province and Ontario Health started to deploy approximately 130 nurses to conduct symptom assessments and referrals among callers who request a callback. Nurses will work from existing regional offices to provide immediate support and respond to callers seeking a callback to help mitigate current wait times. To onboard these additional nursing resources, Telehealth has developed a specific training package for newly added nurses to expedite their ability to provide callback support immediately. Telehealth will also increase intake staff to reduce wait times for initial contact with a Telehealth representative. Telehealth has been providing valuable support to the Ministry's Emergency Operations Centre (MEOC) since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in mid-January. In February, Telehealth began to add additional resources to manage increased daily call volumes, including seven full-time Registered Nurses and 10 customer service representatives.
Phase 2: Continue to Manage COVID-19 Call Volumes
While implementation of Phase 1 is currently underway, Ontario and Telehealth have already begun planning rollout of Phase 2. To further increase intake and nursing capacity over the coming days and weeks, Ontario is actively working with the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) to identify support for Telehealth from its 44,000 registered nurse members. The province has also started to explore existing non-clinical resources within the Ontario Public Service and other broader public sector organizations to support Telehealth's call volumes.
In order to be prepared to be nimble and effective in any scenario, Ontario is also exploring a partnership with organizations which have existing health care call centres to provide symptom assessment for COVID-19 to callers requesting a callback.
"We understand that people are anxious to get the advice about next steps as soon as possible, which is why the capacity of Telehealth is being enhanced," says Dr. David Williams, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health. "But unless you are experiencing severe symptoms or a medical emergency, the best place for you to stay is at home until you receive advice, which will often be to stay home and self-monitor."
In addition to enhancing capacity at Telehealth, Ontario has approved new physician billing codes to enable doctors to continue to provide routine health care services by video and telephone, including assessment of possible COVID-19 symptoms. This will help keep patients at home rather than in their doctor's office where they would be in close contact with others.
Ontario has also established dedicated assessment centres in areas experiencing significant growth in COVID-19 testing, with additional centres being established across the province in the coming weeks. Before visiting an assessment centre, individuals should first seek guidance on whether it is appropriate for them to do so. Ontarians can do so by using a new online self-assessment tool, calling Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or calling their local public health unit. People should not go to an assessment centre unless they have symptoms of the COVID-19