COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus)

The Ministry of Health's Management of Cases and Contacts of COVID-19 in Ontario is updated regularly. It includes the latest listing of typical and atypical symptoms of COVID-19, which include:

• fever and/or chills; OR
• cough; OR
• shortness of breath; OR
• decrease or loss of taste or smell; OR
• two or more of any of the following:
  • runny nose/nasal congestion
  • headache
  • extreme fatigue
  • sore throat
  • muscle aches or joint pain
  • gastrointestinal symptoms (i.e. vomiting or diarrhea)

For the most recent list of symptoms, please refer to the latest version of the Management of Cases and Contacts of COVID-19 in Ontario on the Ministry of Health COVID website here.

COVID-19 testing at area pharmacies - Click here to find pharmacy and other testing locations in your area (the site is searchable by community or postal code).

Ontario continues to update its COVID-19 testing guidelines. Please visit the Ontario Ministry of Health’s Testing Locations and Clinical Assessment Centres page for an updated list on testing eligibility and locations.

Use this online self-assessment tool to help determine if you need to seek further care. Find updated isolation guidelines here. If your symptoms become severe, please seek medical attention immediately or call 9-1-1.

Treatment options are now available to higher risk individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19. Time is of the essence because the treatments work best when given early. Use Ontario's antiviral screener tool to help determine if you should be assessed for treatment.

Paxlovid is given to people who are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

Your primary care provider or another health care provider can tell you if you are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

Speak to your health care provider or call 811 or visit Ontario’s Health811 website for safe, high-quality care from a registered nurse. You can also call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-000 if you have questions or need assistance.

The latest information about COVID-19 vaccines is available on the province's COVID-19 webpage, covid-19.ontario.ca. Vaccines are widely available from a range of sources, including mass vaccination clinics, primary care providers, pharmacies and mobile/pop-up clinics.

Provincial booking system

Booking may be done online through the provincial COVID-19 booking system at www.ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by phone through the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900. For a complete listing of the local vaccination options operated by the HKPRDHU please see the Vaccination Clinics section of their website here: www.hkpr.on.ca/2021/03/12/vaccination-clinics/

Pharmacies

Eligible Ontarians can also register to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at a participating pharmacy. Some pharmacies are accepting walk-ins, others require an appointment. Hours of availability and services vary by pharmacy. For a current list of all participating pharmacies, visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-vaccines-ontario

Primary care providers

Some primary care teams and/or providers are offering vaccination clinics as well. Reach out to your primary care provider directly for information, or monitor their website and social media feeds for updates.

NHH has joined other health care organizations in Ontario by shifting to optional masking across the hospital, including areas of clinical and patient care. NHH will remain a mask-friendly environment and provide masks for all staff, physicians, midwives, volunteers, patients, and visitors upon request.

Please note patients with symptoms of communicable respiratory illness may be required to mask within the hospital.

As public health measures continue to ease, individuals will need to make your own decisions about which personal measures to take to reduce your risks. Below are Public Health recommendations that can help minimize the risk of infection or spread of COVID-19:

• Maintain physical distance from others (6 feet or 2 metres)
• Wear a face covering when physical distancing is a challenge, not possible or required (for information on how to put on, remove and clean a non-medical face mask. See the latest Health Canada recommendations here. For information on NHH's universal mask policy, go here
• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Always wash your hands before eating or drinking, after using the washroom, if your hands become visibly dirty and before and after you put on AND take off a face mask
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Support children 5 to 11 to receive the pediatric COVID-19 vaccine

To minimize the risk of spreading viruses to others, you should also cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the garbage and wash your hands. If you do not have a tissue handy, cough or sneeze into your sleeve or arm. Stay home when you are ill and avoid contact with those outside your immediate household through physical distancing, particularly those who may be more vulnerable.

Visitor and family presence is integral to patient safety, the healing process, the patient's medical and psychological well-being, comfort and quality of life. Please see full details, including answers to frequently asked questions on our COVID-19 Visiting Guidelines, on our website here. NHH's Virtual Visiting program continues to be available as capacity permits. Virtual visits are available weekdays by contacting the hospital's Virtual Visiting Team at 905-372-6811, ext. 3146 or by email to virtualconnections@nhh.ca  Note: to protect patient privacy, the patient's full name should not be included in the email. Read more about Virtual Visiting, including how to request a virtual visit, here.

Visitors to NHH are expected to self-screen for symptoms of COVID-19 or other illness and are accountable for deciding for themselves if they are ill or at risk of a potential exposure. Instructions are available at all entrances and volunteers are available at times of peak visiting to support. If you are experiencing symptoms of any kind we ask, for the safety of your loved ones and others, please postpone your visit to patients in the hospital. At any time, if you have a clinic appointment, test or other procedure scheduled, and have any of the symptoms listed above, please call your clinic to see if you should still come to the hospital.

The emotional and psychological impact of COVID-19 and the change and uncertainty it has brought to our lives is significant. Reach out if you need to speak with someone. Free supports are available locally and from a range of provincial resources. Below are just some of the options available.

• Walk-in Counselling Clinic (905-377-7784), Tuesdays from 8 AM – 4PM and Thursdays from 10 AM to 6 PM – offered in partnership with Rebound Child and Youth Services is available for individuals without access to phone and/or virtual services. For crisis supports outside of these hours, please see below.
• Rebound Child and Youth Service - In addition to the Walk-in Counselling service noted above, Rebound offers a wide range of programming to support children, youth and their families. Contact Rebound directly at 905-372-0007 or 1-877-688-0007.
• BounceBack – a free skill-building program for adults and youth 15+, BounceBack  offers the guidance of a coach to work through a series of workbooks at your own pace to help gain practical skills to help manage low mood, anxiety, worry or stress.
• Kids Help Phone – for support at any time of day, children and youth can call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 to contact the Kids Help Phone.
• GOOD2TALKON - for 24/7 confidential mental health and addictions support, post-secondary students can call 1-866-925-5454 or text GOOD2TALKON to 686868 or visit the Good2Talk website here

For individuals in crisis:

• Call Four County Crisis at 1-705-745-6484 or 1-866-995-9933;
• Reach out to the Community and Social Services Help Line by dialing 211; or,
• Go to the closest Emergency Department.

For more information on mental health resources see the Ontario mental health, wellness and addictions support summary on the province’s COVID-19 website here.

Offers of support have flowed in to NHH in many ways throughout this prolonged pandemic. Thank you, Northumberland. We are extremely grateful. Please see below for information on how you can best help us channel these acts of kindness at this time:

• Offers of food – We are not able to accept homemade food items for sharing, nor are gifts such as boxes of chocolate, donuts, etc acceptable due to the infection risk of shared food items. Donations may be used to purchase meals/snacks/beverages for staff through the NHH Bistro or other local options. Community members interested in supporting staff and boosting spirits in this way are encouraged to direct questions or suggestions through the NHH Foundation office care of Rhonda Cunningham rcunningham@nhh.ca 
• Offers of funds – Please contact the NHH Foundation care of Rhonda Cunningham rcunningham@nhh.ca
• Offers of health human resources – Please email our Human Resources department care of careers@nhh.ca and note “COVID-19” and the specific credentials (eg. NP, RN) in the subject line. Current career opportunities are highlighted here.
• Questions or other offers of support  – Please contact Public Affairs at jgillard@nhh.ca