Please remember during these high stress times to be kind to each-other, this includes our clinic staff.
Please do NOT call the clinic to ask if there is covid 19 on island – this is a pandemic – presume it is in our community & act accordingly.

If you have non-medical questions please phone the government help line posted below.

If you are concerned you may have Covid 19 please take the self assessment tool and phone one of the below numbers if necessary.

• Take the self assessment tool at https://covid19.thrive.health
• Our Local Public Health Team at 250-538-4880 (Mon-Fri 830-430)
• 811

ONLY If you are instructed to go to hospital, then go to Lady Minto Hospital and phone 250-538-4840 from the parking lot. DO NOT GO IN. You will be informed on next steps. Do not present to the hospital without phoning first.

Typical symptoms include: fever, cough & difficulty breathing. If you have any of these symptoms – even if you do not believe them to be related to Covid 19 – follow the above instructions.

Typically you or someone you know will have travelled within the last few weeks, however, increasingly we are seeing community spread. If you have ANY of the above symptoms, please take action like you have Covid 19 and not another virus.

STEP 1: DO NOT go to your GP or Hospital

STEP 2: SELF SCREEN @ https://covid19.thrive.health

STEP 3: based on your self screen …. ONLY if appropriate …. PHONE Public Health at 250-538-4880 or 811

STEP 4: You may be asked to self isolate or to go to a SPECIAL place at Lady Minto Hospital

STEP 5: You may be tested for the virus – note, testing is only necessary if you are going to be admitted to hospital – you will be directed specifically on your situation, testing is only done through the hospital, NOT your GP clinic.

NOTE: as of March 19th 2020 – only people meeting the following criteria will be swabbed for COVID 19 ….

Who should be tested for COVID-19?
People with respiratory symptoms who are:

• Hospitalized, or likely to be hospitalized
• Health Care Workers
• Residents of long term care facilities
• Part of an investigation of a cluster or outbreak

Who does not need to be tested for COVID-19?

• People without symptoms
• Patients with mild respiratory symptoms who can be managed at home, including returning travellers with an onset of illness within 14 days of return to Canada

The BC Ministry of Health strongly urges anyone who has symptoms – including a fever, cough, sneezing, malaise/fatigue, rhinorrhoea (runny nose), sore throat, or difficulty breathing – to self-isolate for 14 days. To protect yourself while out in public, wash your hands frequently and maintain a distance of about 2 metres from others. For more information on COVID-19, refer to HealthLink BC’s COVID-19 website.

The most import way to prevent Covid 19 is as a community to prevent spread

• WASH your hands
• Do not TOUCH your face
• Social distancing
  • Avoid public gatherings
  • Avoid routine social greetings (hand shakes, hugs, high-fives …)
• If you have travelled or were in contact with someone who has travelled consider a two week self isolation, please phone 811 for more information.
• If you have any symptoms: fever, coughs, runny nose, difficulty breathing – assume you may be infectious and please follow the steps outlined above.
• If you have travelled internationally YOU NEED to self quarantine for 14 days on return. This is MANDATORY in BC at this time. Please review document on how to self-quarantine.

To maximize social distancing

• Do not come to clinic if you have ANY respiratory symptoms.
• If you have respiratory symptoms and would like to speak to a physician – Please phone and request a physician phone consult. It maybe recommended you go to hospital.
• Please avoid bringing non-essential family members to your appointment
• Consider re-booking routine health or screening visits or pre-ops
• Consider asking for a phone visit – if you have an appointment booked consider asking for this to be switched to a phone visit.
• The office staff or your physician may call to see if your appointment can be transitioned to a phone call.
• Consider booking online for a phone call
• If your routine surgery is cancelled please cancel your pre-op appointment
• If you have ANY respiratory symptoms DO NOT come to clinic.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER

• You may have non-urgent medical appointments cancelled due to VIHA and Provincial Health Policies as a result of Covid-19s impact on the health care system. This in order to ensure those unwell can receive medical care, and ensure the safety of the rest of our population.
• The following maybe cancelled… This has nothing to do with your physician or the clinic. This is happening to ALL Canadians.
  • non-urgent SURGERY
  • non-urgent MEDICAL IMAGING (ultrasounds, CTs, MRIs)
  • pre-op appointments
  • non-urgent Biopsies
• Phone systems have been overwhelmed. This is not a clinic specific issue. We are working our best to answer your calls.
• Please BE KIND to our clinic staff, they are working very hard on your behalf!!