Complaints about hours-long wait times to get coronavirus-related questions answered either by the York Region public health unit or Telehealth Ontario flooded local social media groups this weekend.
Resident Kathryn Hammond Britten on Sunday shared in the newly founded group, COVID-19 in York and Simcoe Region, that her daughter recently returned from a trip to Cuba and developed symptoms that included fever, sore throat, and shortness of breath.
“It took Telehealth Ontario 36 hours to return her call,” Hammond Britten said.
Newmarket resident Nancy Bodi weighed in on the issue on the Facebook group page, and suggested that calling public health may be futile as they make “take forever to respond”.
“At the end of the day, if you are ill, just stay home and recover,” Bodi said. “Hospitals are there for emergencies. The government is saying to call public health, and that strategy may not work with thousands of calls flooding into call centre.”
NewmarketToday called York’s public health line the morning of March 16 and after a steady ringing for nearly one minute, an answering machine kicked in and instructed the caller to leave a message.
The local public health unit posted a notice on its dedicated COVID-19 webpage last weekend that it is experiencing a significant call volume on its phone lines.
It is not alone, as concerned citizens here in Newmarket and across the GTA attempt to get answers about the rapidly unfolding coronavirus outbreak that has so far infected 19 people in York Region, and 177 throughout Ontario.
York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey said today that the public health phone lines continue to experience a high volume of calls.
As part of the 2019 provincial budget, the Ontario government first outlined its plans to change Ontario’s health-care system. For York Region public health, this plan included significant funding changes resulting in an estimated budget decline of $10.2 million by 2022, Casey said.
One-time funding provided by the province helped mitigate 2020 budget pressures associated with reduced funding to the public health unit, but considering the significant resources required to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, an extension of this funding into 2021 announced just last week will alleviate some future budget pressures, he added.
“Residents are reminded that public health does not provide testing for COVID-19,” Casey said.
Three COVID-19 assessment centres at Mackenzie Health, Southlake Regional Health Centre and Markham-Stouffville Hospital are opening this week in York Region.
Southlake’s COVID-19 assessment centre is now open in the ambulance bay next to its emergency department. Patients will be assessed by a physician who will make a clinical determination if a test is required. Not all patients who are sent to the assessment centre will be tested, according to information on Southlake’s website.
Local hospital officials advise residents to take the self-assessment tool developed by Public Health Ontario to determine if they need to go to the assessment centre.
Southlake spokesperson Kathryn Perrier told NewmarketToday the local hospital has implemented new restrictions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including enhanced patient and visitor screening and reduced visiting hours.
Also, effective today, March 16, the hospital has paused its volunteer program at all of its hospital sites, including the gift shop.
Residents can attend a COVID-19 assessment centre if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-9 and have:
- Recently returned from travel outside Canada within the last 14 days;
- Been in close contact with someone who is a presumptive or confirmed case of COVID-19 and;
- Been in close contact with someone who has flu-like symptoms who has travelled outside Canada in the last 14 days.
York Region public health wants to hear from you if the following applies to your situation:
- Have you been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19?
- Are experiencing fever over 38C and/or have a new or worsening cough and; within the past 14 days, have you:
- Travelled to an impacted area, including Hubei province (China), Iran or Italy
- Travelled outside of Canada, including the United States of America
- Been in close contact with a someone who has recently travelled to an impacted area and is experiencing symptoms of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) such as fever over 38C and/or coughing?
If any of the above applied to you, call York Region public health at 1-877-464-9675, ext. 73588 and immediately self-isolate.
You do not need to contact York Region public health if you are feeling well and, within the past 14 days have:
- Travelled to an impacted area including Hubei province (China), Iran or Italy. You must self-isolate for 14 days from the date of departure from the impacted area.
- Travelled outside of Canada, including the United States of America. Adults 17 years of age or older need to self-monitor for 14 days from date of return to Canada.
- Travelled outside of Canada, including the United States of America. Children 16 years of age or younger must self-isolate for 14 days after return to Canada.
- Been in close contact with someone who has recently travelled to an impacted area but is not exhibiting symptoms of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) such as fever over 38 degrees Celsius and/or coughing.
If you are seeking medical advice, you can contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 to speak with a registered nurse. The free, confidential service provides health advice and information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Meanwhile, Health Minister and Newmarket-Aurora MPP Christine Elliott today announced the province is adding more nursing staff to handle the high call volumes at Telehealth Ontario.
And Ontario Premier Doug Ford also urged residents to take the government’s just-released online self-assessment to help determine next steps if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, which can include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, or have been in close contact with someone who has been confirmed positive.
You are asked not to visit one of the province’s 17 COVID-19 assessment centres unless you have symptoms.
Here is what you can expect on the COVID-19 self-assessment, available here:
If you are feeling unwell with any of the following symptoms:
- Fever, new cough or difficulty breathing, or a combination of these symptoms?
- Muscle aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, runny nose or diarrhea? Symptoms in young children may also be non-specific, for example, lethargy, poor feeding.
And have experienced any of the following:
- Have you travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days?
- Does someone you are in close contact with have COVID-19. For example, someone in your household or workplace?
- Are you in close contact with a person who is sick with respiratory symptoms, such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing, who recently travelled outside of Canada?
If you answered yes to these questions, you should seek clinical assessment for COVID-19 over the phone.
The majority of COVID-19 illnesses are mild. A clinician can help guide whether you will require further care or potential testing in person.
You can use one of the following options:
Contact your primary care provider (for example, family doctor). Let them know that you have used this self-assessment tool.
Contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 and speak with a registered nurse. Let them know that you have used this self-assessment tool.
If you start to experience worsening symptoms, are having difficulty breathing or experiencing other severe symptoms, call 911 immediately. Advise them of your symptoms and travel history.
If you answered no to these questions, it is unlikely that you have COVID-19.
You should:
Continue to monitor your health for a full 14 days after your return to Ontario or have contact with someone who is ill. If you develop any new symptoms, please seek clinical assessment and testing for COVID-19.
Learn more about self-monitoring.
York Region Public Health is closely monitoring the emerging novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, in collaboration with provincial and national health agencies, and receives regular updates as the situation evolves. The risk of acquiring the disease remains low for York Region residents.
In addition, public health is working closely with hospitals and community health care providers to keep them informed on the evolving situation and ensure reporting and management of any persons under investigation.
Up-to-date details about York Region’s response to COVID-19 are available york.ca/covid19
For more information on Southlake’s COVID-19 assessment centre, visit https://southlake.ca/news/coronavirus-2019-ncov/
