January 11, 2022
About this question and answer (Q&A) page
We are all working together across the community in Guelph and Wellington County to provide as many healthcare services as we can at the highest quality level possible in a challenging time for staffing and patient need. Local hospitals provide a regional report on Tuesdays and Fridays on the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital and their vaccination status, the number of hospital staff off work due to COVID and other hospital-based information. Dr. Mercer, the Medical Officer of Health, also posted a letter to our community regarding the return to in-person learning and the important measures we must continue to take to keep our community safe.
This Q&A is meant to help you understand what to do if you have COVID-19 symptoms and how to get help if you need it. Our hospitals and emergency medical system (e.g. system that provides emergency medical care such as 911 communication and ambulances) are extremely busy and should only be used for medical emergencies. The following questions and answers are related to the current COVID-19 situation in Guelph and Wellington County and will be updated regularly.
COVID-19 symptoms can vary depending on age, the variant of COVID-19, and other factors related to the individual. Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19. You can infect others even if you don’t have symptoms of COVID-19. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, assume that you have the virus and are likely contagious.
· Fever or chills
· Cough
· Shortness of breath
· Decreased or loss of taste or smell
Two or more of:
· Runny nose or nasal congestion
· Headache
· Extreme fatigue
· Runny nose or nasal congestion sore throat
· Muscle aches or joint pain
· Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as vomiting or diarrhea)
Take the COVID-19 self-assessment for a recommendation on what do to next if you think you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed.
Ontario has expanded who can get tested for COVID-19 to ensure that individuals who are vulnerable or in high-risk settings are able to be tested. Visit the COVID-19 clinical assessments and testing webpage for information about the following:
· Getting a clinical assessment
· Getting tested for COVID-19
· Rapid antigen tests and who is eligible for this type of test
· PCR tests and who is eligible for this type of test
· Testing locations
Find out more information on what to do if you’ve been exposure to COVID-19 or find a testing location.
We have a good supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Guelph and Wellington County and have increased our ability to provide them. Vaccines are an extremely important tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and to reduce how sick people get from the virus.
All eligible populations (ages 5 and older) can now use the COVID-19 vaccine drop-in clinics for a first or second dose, or a booster dose. This includes children ages 5-11 for their first or second dose, as long as there is 21 days between doses and all adults over 18 years of age for a booster dose. Children must be 5 years of age at the time of vaccination. You can drop-in to any of the COVID-19 vaccine clinics listed on the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health website.
Check the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health website for the most up-to-date list of eligible groups. You can also access the latest recommendations for staying up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19 vaccine booster recommendations from the Ministry of Health website on COVID-19 vaccine relevant information.
Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines offer strong protection against severe illness from COVID-19, including variants like Omicron. You should get the first mRNA vaccine available to you. Youth and children (ages 5-29 years old) will continue to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
Mixing COVID-19 vaccines is safe, effective, and enables more Ontarians to benefit from the protection of a booster do
You can book an appointment online or by calling 1-844-780-0202.
Self isolation means you should not be around other people and need to stay home. If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, you do not necessarily need to test- assume you have the virus and stay home. Take the COVID-19 self-assessment for a recommendation on what do to next if you think you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed. Find more information about COVID-19 exposure and what do to protect yourself and your community. To self isolate:
· Do not go to work, school, childcare, or any public places (see What should I do if I have been exposed to COVID-19 for information about how long you need to stay home)
· Have your essential needs (groceries, medications) delivered
· Stay home unless you need to get a COVID-19 test or need emergency medical care. If you do go to get a COVID-19 test or need emergency medical care, remember to wear a mask and practice physical distancing
· Do not use public transportation, taxis, or ride shares
To reduce the risk of others getting COVID-19 while you isolate:
· Do not have any visitors to your home unless they are essential
· Stay in a separate room from others that live in your house and use a separate bathroom if you can
· Open windows, physically distance, and wear a mask if you need to share rooms with other people you live with
Once your self-isolation is complete, continue to follow public health measures like mask wearing and physical distancing.
Staying away from others is important to stop the spread of COVID-19. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19, you must stay home. The following will help you decide how long to isolate/stay home:
If you are fully vaccinated (2 doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine) and you have symptoms:
· Stay home for at least 5 days from when your symptoms first started or a positive COVID test (whichever came first)
· If you are at the end of your 5-day isolation and you still have symptoms, stay home for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if you have gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea) until you feel better and have no fever
If you have been exposed to someone with symptoms or a positive test and are fully vaccinated but have no symptoms:
· Monitor yourself for symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed
· Wear a mask, practice physical distancing, and follow all other public health measures
· Do not visit high-risk settings, such as a hospital, long-term care, retirement homes, or congregate living settings (such as a group home) for 10 days after your exposure
If you have been exposed to COVID-19 but have tested positive through a rapid antigen test or a PCR test in the last 90 days and do not have any symptoms, you do not need to isolate.
Take the COVID-19 self-assessment for a recommendation on what do to next if you think you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed. Find more information about COVID-19 exposure and what do to protect yourself and your community.
Staying away from others is important to stop the spread of COVID-19. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19, you must stay home. The following will help you decide how long to isolate/stay home, depending on if you are fully vaccinated or not:
If you are not fully vaccinated (0 or 1 doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine) and you have symptoms:
· Stay home for at least 10 days
· Everyone you live with must also stay home/isolate for 10 days
If you have been exposed to someone with symptoms or a positive test but have no symptoms:
· Stay home/isolate for 10 days after your last exposure even if you have no symptoms
If you have been exposed to COVID-19 but have tested positive through a rapid antigen test or a PCR test in the last 90 days and do not have any symptoms, you do not need to isolate.
Take the COVID-19 self-assessment for a recommendation on what do to next if you think you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed. Find more information about COVID-19 exposure and what do to protect yourself and your community.
Staying away from others is important to stop the spread of COVID-19. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19, you must stay home. Regardless of if you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have symptoms, you must:
· Stay home/isolate for 10 days after your exposure
Take the COVID-19 self-assessment for a recommendation on what do to next if you think you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed. Find more information about exposure and what do to protect yourself and your community.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms you should let all close contacts know they have potentially been exposed. The following will help you understand who is considered a close contact:
· People you had contact with within 48 hours before symptoms started and until you started self-isolating
· People you were in close proximity (less than 2 meters) for at least 15 minutes or for multiple short periods of time without masking, physical distancing and/or the use of personal protective equipment
· People who you came into contact with in group settings, such as school, work, or daycare, are not considered close contacts because of the safety measures in place
Ontario Health recently announced increased access to COVID-19 antivirals and PCR testing. The changes include increased access for patients and community-based pharmacies for COVID-19 antivirals.
You can use this screening tool determine if you should seek care for COVID-19 and if you are eligible for antiviral treatment.
You can read about the antiviral treatment (Paxlovid), including who should get the treatment, how to get assessed for the treatment, and how it works through the Ontario Health website.
Some additional resources you may find helpful include resources from the University of Waterloo on who may benefit from COVID-19 antiviral treatment and treatment options for mild COVID-19.
If you or someone you know has any of the following emergency warning signs for COVID-19, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away:
· Trouble breathing
· Pain or pressure in the chest that lingers
· New confusion
· Not able to stay awake or wake up
· Pale, gray, or blue-coloured skin, lips, or nails, which is not normal for the individual
Do not call 911 to get information about getting a COVID-19 test or if your symptoms are not severe. It is important that 911 is only used for life-threatening issues. Do not call 911 for the following:
· To ask where to get a COVID-19 test
· To seek medical care for symptoms of COVID-19 that are not life-threatening
Call your primary care doctor if you are worried about your COVID-19 symptoms but they are not life-threatening.
The Guelph COVID Assessment Centre is offering a new service option for those seeking care and treatment from a clinician for moderate COVID-19 symptoms. The service is by appointment only and can be booked by calling the Centre during its open hours. PCR testing will continue to be offered by appointment only for those who meet the provincial criteria. To discover if one qualifies to be tested, the province has an online screening tool.
The Guelph Centre can be reached by calling (226)-773-1922 weekdays from 8:15 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. and weekends and holidays from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Appointments must be made in advance with walk-in appointments not available.
If you or someone you know has any of the following emergency warning signs for COVID-19, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department right away:
· Trouble breathing
· Pain or pressure in the chest that lingers
· New confusion
· Not able to stay awake or wake up
· Pale, gray, or blue-coloured skin, lips, or nails, which is not normal for the individual
Do not go to the emergency department at the hospital to try to get a COVID-19 test or if your symptoms are not severe. People with mild or moderate COVID-19 can be treated at home. Call your primary care doctor if you are worried about your COVID-19 symptoms but they are not life-threatening or call the Guelph COVID Assessment Centre to seek care for mild to moderate symptoms.
Call your primary care doctor if you are worried about your COVID-19 symptoms but they are not life-threatening.
The Guelph COVID Assessment Centre is offering a new service option for those seeking care and treatment from a clinician for moderate COVID-19 symptoms. The service is by appointment only and can be booked by calling the Centre during its open hours. PCR testing will continue to be offered by appointment only for those who meet the provincial criteria. To discover if one qualifies to be tested, the province has an online screening tool.
The Guelph Centre can be reached by calling (226)-773-1922 weekdays from 8:15 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. and weekends and holidays from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Appointments must be made in advance with walk-in appointments not available.
Ontario has also expanded public assess to COVID-19 antiviral treatment (Paxlovid). Information includes on the Ontario Health website includes who should get the treatment, how to get assessed for the treatment, and how it works. You can take this screener to see if you are at a higher risk of severe COVID-19 and may benefit from antiviral treatment.
Individuals who are homebound can be referred to Public Health for a home visit to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through their family health team/primary care provider or their home and community care support services coordinator. They can also call the WDG Public Health call centre (1-800-265-7293 ext. 7006) to discuss if they meet eligibility requirements for a home visit vaccination or to request accommodation at a Public Health Clinic Appointment. Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health has information about accessibility, accommodation, and language supports available at our vaccine clinics on their website.
If a patient is homebound and requires a home visit to be PCR tested for COVID-19, they can speak with WDG Public Health call centre staff to discuss if they are eligible for a referral for homebound community testing. Please note that capacity for this service is limited and patients must meet the updated eligibility criteria for PCR testing.
WDG Public Health works in partnership with the Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service to offer vaccines and testing to individuals living in Guelph and Wellington who are homebound.
Congregate living settings with residents who are homebound can continue to connect with Public Health for support as per already established processes.