UPDATE on COVID

COVID Antiviral Treatment

Paxlovid is used to treat adults who have mild to moderate COVID symptoms and are at high- risk of worsening to severe illness. Depending on your age, health, and vaccination status, it could be an option for you. 

Effective immediately, the following higher-risk groups are eligible to be tested and assessed for antiviral treatments, such as Paxlovid, in Ontario:

  • Individuals aged 18 and over who are immunocompromised (have an immune system that is weakened by a health condition or medications);
  • Individuals aged 70 and over;
  • Individuals aged 60 and over with fewer than three vaccine doses; and
  • Individuals aged 18 and over with fewer than three vaccine doses and at least one risk condition:
    • obesity
    • diabetes
    • heart disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure
    • chronic respiratory disease (including cystic fibrosis)
    • cerebral palsy
    • intellectual or developmental disabilities
    • sickle cell disease
    • moderate or severe kidney disease
    • moderate or severe liver disease
    • pregnant and unvaccinated (zero doses)

Anyone who is eligible for an assessment is now also eligible for a PCR test at any testing centre in Ontario.

There are several factors to consider, including potential interactions with other drugs, so a discussion with your doctor is important.

If you think you may qualify for treatment and have COVID-19 symptoms (even if mild), call our office or speak to your pharmacist. Do not wait for your symptoms to become severe: treatment must be started within 5 days of your first symptoms.

Call 911 or go to the Emergency Department if you have severe symptoms: shortness of breath while resting, severe chest pain, confusion or losing consciousness.

COVID Anti-Viral Screener

Office updates

As of Jul 11th, 2022, masking mandates have ended in most places, including health care settings.

Some health concerns can still be addressed with virtual care alone, but in-person visits may be required for some physical assessments or procedures. 

For in-person visits, precautions are in place to optimize patient and staff safety. Clinic staff wear appropriate personal protective equipment, and sanitizing procedures are in place. In addition to our clinic procedures, we ask all patients to wear masks, for the protection of other patients and staff.

URGENT CARE

We continue to offer same-day urgent care appointments and our urgent care clinic Monday to Thursday, 5-8pm, Saturday 9am-12pm. Most visits are in person though some may be appropriate virtually. Our front staff will triage concerns and we will do our best to assess patients appropriately.

BOOKING & CANCELLING APPOINTMENTS

Online booking & cancelling through the Pomelo portal is available.

Most virtual visits take place by phone. If there is a visual component that the physician needs to see (eg. rash), you may be asked to email a photograph of it, or a virtual video visit will be organized through doxy.me.

PRESCRIPTION REFILLS

If you are running out of medication, it is best to request that your pharmacy fax us a medication refill request.

It is important that if you have respiratory symptoms (fever, cough) you do not show up at the clinic unannounced, as you may have COVID-19. Again, if you have symptoms or concerns consult the Ottawa public health website.

Ware working hard to adapt daily and implement the best practices to keep our patients and our staff safe. 

COVID ONLINE SELF-ASSESSMENT

Who should test?

If you are experiencing symptoms possibly due to COVID:

If not at high risk of serious symptoms or hospitalization:

  • stay home until symptoms improving for 24 hours (48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms)
  • avoid high risk individuals for 10 days
  • wear a mask when indoors out of your house for 10 days
  • can take a rapid-antigen test

If at HIGH risk:

  • do a rapid-antigen test, if positive consider PAXLOVID
  • if negative RAT but symptoms consistent with COVID, can repeat daily RAT and consider PCR

Here is where you can find a rapid test in Ottawa:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/rapid-testing-home-use

Closest locations to our clinic:

  • Beechwood Whole Health Pharmacy – 222 Beechwood Avenue
  • Rexall – 753 Montreal Road
  • Shoppers Drug Mart – 1200 St. Laurent Boulevard
  • Shoppers Drug Mart – 541 Montreal Road
  • Shoppers Drug Mart – 150 Montreal Road
  • Vanier Pharmacy – 101-355 Montreal Road
  • Pharmacie Jean Coutu – 262 Montreal Road
  • Metro – 50 Beechwood Avenue

 Who should be assessed in person?

As per provincial guidelines, you should book an appointment at a care clinic if you know or suspect you have COVID and you:

  • Have been directed by your primary care provider or other health care professional; or
  • Are unable to safely monitor your symptoms at home; or
  • Are at higher risk for COVID-19 and need to get tested and assessed for treatment (including antiviral treatment):
  • Individuals aged 18 and over who are immunocompromised (have an immune system that is weakened by a health condition or medications);
  • Individuals aged 70 and over;
  • Individuals aged 60 and over with fewer than three vaccine doses; and
  • Individuals aged 18 and over with fewer than three vaccine doses and at least one risk condition (e.g., a chronic medical condition)

Care clinics will assess those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 who feel unwell, are worsening, or simply want to be seen by a medical provider. You should bring a list of your medication and a list of any important medical conditions to your appointment.

These care clinics can also discuss COVID-19 antiviral treatment for adults most at risk. COVID-19 antiviral treatment must begin as soon as possible because antiviral treatment has to be started within five days of symptom onset to be most effective.

Kids Come First Care Clinic at CHEO

  • Ages:
    • For care at the COVID-19 CHEO Kids Come First care clinic, ages two months to 18 years (infants less than two months of age must visit the CHEO Emergency Department)
  • Hours:
    • Every day, 7:30am to 8:00pm
    • Services provided:
      • For an in-person consultation with CHEO’s collaborative assessment team for children and youth (two months to 18 years) with acute illnesses with new symptoms such as fever, cough, vomiting, belly pain, earache or sore throat
      • For those requiring extra support for accessibility reasons, please contact CHEO’s Patient Experience team at 613-737-7600, ext. 6720.
    • Location: CHEO Main Campus – 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa
  • Book an appointment

East Ottawa Kids COVID Care Clinic 

Ages: Children and youth between 2 months and 17 years old

Services provided: 

  • COVID-19 testing for children and youth (2 months to 17 years) and other members of their household who meet the current testing criteria
  • In-person consultation with a physician for children and youth (2 months to 17 years) with new symptoms such as fever, cough, vomiting, belly pain, earache, or sore throat

Hours: 

  • Monday to Friday, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
  • Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Location: 4289 Innes Road, Orléans

Click here to book an appointment

What to do if you’ve been exposed to someone with symptoms of COVID or who has received a positive test result?

If you are fully vaccinated, have no symptoms, do not live with the positive case and are otherwise healthy, or are under 12 years of age

  • self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days after your last exposure
  • wear a mask, practice physical distancing, and follow all other public health measures if leaving home
  • do not visit any high-risk settings or people who may be at higher risk of illness (such as seniors) for 10 days after your last exposure

If you are not fully vaccinated or are immunocompromised

  • isolate for 10 days after your last exposure, regardless of whether you have any symptoms

If you live, work, attend, volunteer, or have been admitted in a high-risk setting such as:

  • hospitals and health care settings, including complex continuing care facilities and acute care facilities
  • congregate living settings, such as long-term care and retirement homes, First Nation elder care lodges, group homes, shelters, hospices, temporary foreign worker settings, and correctional institutions
  • First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities

Notify them of the exposure and do not go there for 10 days from your last exposure, when the symptoms began, or when you were diagnosed. To ensure sufficient staffing levels, workers will have the opportunity to return to work early on day seven of their isolation with a negative PCRtest, or two negative rapid antigen tests on day six and seven. If you live in a high-risk setting, you should isolate regardless of vaccination status.

If you develop any symptoms, you and your household must isolate for five days from the onset of your symptoms if you are fully vaccinated and otherwise healthy, or if you are under 12 years of age. If you are not fully vaccinated or are immunocompromised you must isolate for 10 days since your symptoms began.