RCDHU and province announce Covid surge support

The following announcement was distributed by Renfrew County District Health Unit on Dec.24:

The proportion of Omicron cases are rising rapidly across Ontario, including 2 confirmed and 15 suspect cases in Renfrew County and District (RCD) today and a total of 85 new cases reported over the past 7 days.

Along with the other Ontario Public Health Units, Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is shifting their focus from community containment to mitigation of further transmission of Omicron. This will occur by improving vaccination efforts and by managing individuals with the highest risk of transmission, as well as mitigating outbreaks and transmission to vulnerable individuals in high-risk settings, including Long-Term Care Homes, Schools, Daycares, and Hospitals, etc.

“I am urging all RCD residents to remain vigilant, decrease their contacts by 50%, continue practicing all the necessary public health measures and to get fully vaccinated,” states Dr. Robert Cushman, Acting Medical Officer of Health, RCDHU. “We can help to stop the spread of COVID-19 and variants of concern in our community if we all do our part to follow public health guidance,” continues Dr. Cushman.

Testing

Our testing partners at RCVTAC are continuing to provide testing services throughout RCD. Due to technical issues, RCVTAC are currently experiencing longer than usual wait times on their phone lines and at the testing sites. Online booking is currently not available. Please call RCVTAC to book a COVID test 844-727-6404. Please be patient and kind with the team who are working exceptionally hard under extremely challenging circumstances, to support all members of our community.

They are working hard to increase testing capacity to better service residents of RCD but in the meantime, if you develop symptoms and are awaiting a test – assume you are positive and self-isolate immediately.

Case and Contact Management

Residents who test positive for COVID-19 can now expect a call from a member of the Provincial Workforce Team or a text from the Virtual Assistant (will have a long-distance number) with instructions for how to isolate, when to get a COVID-19 test, and instructions on how to notify your high-risk contacts.

The RCDHU COVID-19 Response Team is continuing to actively investigate cases and contacts in high-risk settings only, at this time, and until further notice.

If you are awaiting a test or test results you should:

  • Continue self-isolation and
  • Isolate your household members for 10 days, from their last day exposed to you, regardless of their vaccination status.

Workplaces

RCDHU would also like to note that workplaces, outside of high-risk settings, are no longer being notified of COVID-19 cases or high-risk contacts. Information and resources for managing COVID-19 within the workplace can be found here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-workplace-health-safety

  • Employees who are a confirmed case of COVID-19 must self-isolate for 10 days from symptom onset or positive test result (whichever is earlier).
  • Employees who are a household contact of a case – regardless of their vaccination status – must self-isolate for 10 days from break in contact from the case and get tested for COVID-19.

Remember, even if you have been vaccinated, it is important to continue following public health measures to keep the community safe; stay home if you are sick, avoid contact with people who are ill, practice physical distancing (2 metres), wear a mask/face covering when physical distancing cannot be maintained, wash your hands, use the COVID Alert App, and complete the COVID-19 self-assessment tool or COVID-19 school and child care self-assessment tool daily before going to work, school or daycare, to monitor for symptoms and proper guidance.

For more information, visit RCDHU’s website at https://www.rcdhu.com/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-2/  or call 613-732-3629 or 1-800-267-1097.

Renfrew County and District Health Unit(2021,Dec.24) RCDHU and Province of Ontario Implementing a Surge Support Model [media release]

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