PRHC Expands COVID Assessment Centre Services Amid Ontario-Wide Respiratory Illness Surge

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The Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) has expanded services at its COVID-19 Assessment Centre to include cold and flu symptom testing and treatment announced Wednesday.

File photo.

The expansion comes after PRHC expresses seeing a surge in respiratory illnesses across the province.

Services at the COVID, Cold and Flu Clinic have expanded to include assessment, testing and treatment for patients with symptoms of COVID-19, cold and flu, including:

  • Fever or chills

  • Sore throat

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Decreased or loss of taste or smell

  • Runny nose or nasal congestion

  • Headache

  • Extreme tiredness

  • Cough (not related to other causes such as allergies)

  • Muscle aches or joint pain

  • Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as vomiting or diarrhea)

  • Abdominal pain (not related to other causes)

  • Pink eye (not related to other causes)

The clinic provides a “faster, more convenient option for patients with COVID, cold and flu symptoms to be seen by a physician, helping to alleviate some of the pressures currently being felt in the hospital’s Emergency Department (ED),” according to a press release.

They urge you to make an appointment at the clinic if:

  • You do not have a primary care provider.

  • Your symptoms or your child’s symptoms are getting worse or are not improving, and you feel that
    you need medical care. Children must be aged one year or older to be seen at the clinic.

  • You have been told by a health professional to go to the COVID, Cold and Flu Clinic.

  • You are at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 and you qualify for testing and treatment.

Patients must be one year of age or older, and walk-in appointments will not be accepted.

PRHC is reminding patients that masking continues to be required for anyone coming to the hospital, including the COVID, Cold and Flu clinic and is strongly encouraged in the community to protect all vulnerable people from the spread of illness. PRHC provides medical-grade masks for all patients and visitors.

Appointments can be made at the COVID, Cold and Flu Clinic by calling 705-876-5086.

Ross Memorial Hospital In Lindsay Just Opened A Drive-Thru COVID-19 Assessment Centre

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To respond to the increasing need for COVID-19 assessment in the City of Kawartha Lakes—the first positive case, a woman in her 60s, has been reported in the region—Ross Memorial Hospital opened a COVID-19 Assessment Centre on Sunday morning (March 15th). 

If you suspect you might have COVID-19, do the following before going to the Assessment Centre…

  1. An individual who has recent travel history outside of Canada AND symptoms including fever, cough, and difficulty breathing should, complete the COVID-19 Self-Assessment on the Ontario.ca/coronavirus page.

  2. Contact Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 or the HKPR District Health Unit (hkpr.on.ca) at 1-866-888-4577 ext. 5020.

  3. If symptoms are severe, please call 911 and alert the dispatcher to your travel history and symptoms. 

HOW THE RMH COVID-19 ASSESSMENT CENTRE WORKS

The RMH COVID-19 Assessment Centre is located at the hospital, 10 Angeline St. North, in Lindsay, within the Ambulance Bay.

It is a “drive-thru” centre, with marked entrance from Angeline St. N. The hours of operation are between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. At this time, patients seeking assessment at the centre are not required to make an appointment. Patients should attend the RMH COVID-19 Assessment Centre only on the advice of Telehealth or Public Health.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE RMH COVID-19 ASSESSMENT CENTRE

  • Patients must enter by vehicle in the marked entrance from Angeline St. N and follow direction from staff or security to enter “Lane 2” (Lane 1 is reserved for Ambulances).

  • Remain in vehicle at all times, unless instructed to exit the vehicle by staff.

  • An assessment will be completed by clinical staff, with patients remaining in vehicle.

The RMH COVID-19 Assessment Centre will assess and direct patients on next steps. For more info on the drive thru centre, click here.

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