By Cecilia Nasmith
While COVID-19 is not a thing of the past, declining case numbers have caused the Ontario Health Team-Northumberland partners who are responsible for the COVID-19 Clinical Assessment Centre to adjust hours to account for reduced demand.
The news came at the June Northumberland Hills Hospital board meeting in the Senior Leadership Report.
Walk-ins cannot be accommodated at the centre, which continues to operate from the portable trailer outside the hospital's Emergency Department, so area residents are advised to call ahead at 905-377-7783 (or toll-free 1-833-678-2435) for a phone-based assessment and pre-scheduled appointment – though, of course, anyone in an urgent situation should ball 911 or go directly to the Emergency Department.
“The number of staff, physicians and midwives unable to work due to COVID-19 is much improved compared to this time two months ago,” the report continued.
“With a peak of 40+ individuals unable to work, that number has trended steadily downward and sits, at the time of this report's printing, at less than five.”
The report stressed the importance of vigilance – masking, for example.
“Visitors continue to be provided with a medical-grade mask when they pass through screening, and NHH continues to require visitors to wear this mask at all times in public and patient areas of the hospital, except when eating or drinking in the Main Street Bistro,” it said, adding that the mask mandate also applies to those visiting the community mental-health program offices.
