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COVID-19 Health Care Provider Briefing Middlesex and London Region October 2, 2020
Welcome Presenter: Dr. Alex Summers Associate Medical Officer of Health Middlesex-London Health Unit @alexsummers4
Updated Symptom List • This is available on-line effective today (October 2)
Question #1 – Major Symptoms • Does your child have any of the following new or worsening symptoms? Symptoms should not be chronic or related to other known causes or conditions.
Answers to Question #1 • Fever and/or chills, greater than 37.8 • Cough (not related to known condition) • Shortness of breath • Decrease or loss of smell or taste
Question #2 – Minor Symptoms • Does your child have any of the following new or worsening symptoms? Symptoms should not be chronic or related to other known causes or conditions.
Answers to Question #2 • Sore throat • Headache • Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea • Fatigue, lethargy, muscle aches or malaise • All of the above should not be related to other known causes or conditions.
Remaining questions • Question #3 – Has your child travelled outside of Canada in the past 14 days? • Question #4 – Has your child be identified as a close contact by public health or the COVID Alert App? • Question #5 – Has your child been directed by a health care provider or public health to isolate?
Interpretation • If you answer YES to any of the symptoms in question #1: – This is a FAILED COVID-19 screen – Self-isolate – Go to an assessment centre for a COVID-19 test, or visit HCP for alternative diagnosis
Interpretation • If you answer YES to only one of the symptoms in question #2: – Your child should stay home for 24 hours from when the symptom started – If the symptom is improving, your child may return to school/child care when they feel well enough to do so. – A negative COVID-19 test is NOT required – If symptoms worsen or change, reassessment required
Interpretation • If you answer YES to two or more of the symptoms included in question #2: – This is a FAILED COVID-19 screen – Go to an assessment centre for a COVID-19 test, or visit HCP for alternative diagnosis
Interpretation • If you answer YES to questions #3, #4 or #5 – This is a FAILED COVID-19 screen – Self-isolate – If symptoms develop, go to an assessment centre for a COVID-19 test, or visit HCP for alternative diagnosis
Updated period of communicability • The Ministry has updated the clearance period for case to 10-days from 14-days – 10-day clearance period for the majority of cases with mild to moderate illness – 20-day clearance period for cases with severe illness (ie. ICU support) or with severe immune compromise. • Contacts who have had a high-risk exposure to a case must continue to quarantine for 14 days from their last exposure
Questions from Tuesday • If a child is sent home from school because they were feeling unwell-sore throat last week Friday. Parents did not have child tested for Covid, child is now feeling better, can he go back to school or does he have to self isolate for 14 days from onset? What about parents and siblings? • Is there a mechanism in place to provide testing for PSWs who have been told by their doctors to be tested. The MD's instructions were to take the antibiotics and to self isolate for 14 days and to get tested as soon as possible.
Questions from Tuesday • I’m curious to know if the province is increasing testing capacity and that is why there is a role for pharmacies to conduct testing. Or, will the number of people tested at the assessment centres be reduced now that pharmacies will be providing COVID-19 testing. Additionally, will pharmacies be conducting testing of patients in their cars? Or will we have folks with COVID-19 symptoms wandering through our local pharmacies?
Questions from Tuesday • The physicians in our office are willing to do COVID swabs for children who need a negative test to go back to school, however many people are deterred by the turnaround time. Is there anything we can do to speed this up to make it more practical for these patients? • Are people still allowed to see (unmasked/un-distanced) their "Social Circle" of 10? Or are we following Toronto and saying only who you live with now?
Questions from Tuesday • In Primary Care, we are BOMBARDED by patients whose school/teacher/daycare provider has told them to "call us, to clear them to return to school/daycare". We CAN'T clear most of these symptoms over the phone, these people need to stay home x 14 days or get tested. I think this needs to be emphasized to the schools/school board, etc. • We heard that some assessment centres are allowing people to book an appointment time rather than waiting in line for hours. Where/how do we direct people to book appointments? Is there a number to call or website to visit?
Questions from Tuesday • can you please speak to the high false positive screening rate( up to 30% this does not seem right) , what is this all about? • Any plans to open a testing centre for hospital staff to expediate testing and return to work?
MLHU Info and Contact • Weekly webinars held on Tuesdays at 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. • Please send your questions to healthcareproviders@mlhu.on.ca • Monday to Sunday, 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. – Hotline model – Call 519-663-5317 • www.healthunit.com
Questions? Ask using chat function now, or after the webinar at: healthcareproviders@mlhu.on.ca
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