Testing
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre, established by Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in collaboration with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU), is intended to enhance the protection of all patients, staff and community members.
The Assessment Centre is located on-site outside of the Hospital’s Emergency Department. Because the Assessment Centre is a separate space, it reduces the risk of infection spread and eases pressure on the Emergency Department. Assessments for COVID-19 symptoms will be conducted by nurses who will make recommendations regarding patient self-monitoring, self-isolation and/or treatment.
To schedule a test by telephone:
Call 807-935-8100
Or book online by following this link
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre is available ONLY to those who have scheduled a booking.
The need to perform COVID-19 swab testing will be determined by medical directives.
Our Hospital is committed to helping patients and families stay connected with virtual visits through FaceTime and Skype. If you would like to arrange a virtual care visit with a patient admitted to the hospital, please contact the Telemedicine Department at 807-684-6711 or email telemedicine@tbh.net. between the hours of 0800-1600 Monday to Friday.
Guidelines
To protect yourself and others from illness causing germs, please ensure you follow these everyday precautions:
- Practice physical distancing
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
- Practice proper respiratory etiquette (covering your nose/mouth when coughing or sneezing);
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth;•Avoid contact with people who are ill;
- Stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness;
- It is recommended to get your flu shot if you haven’t already as the flu virus is still circulating in the community;
- Seek medical care if required and disclose any recent travel history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What should I expect if I need to come to the Hospital?
A. Patients can still expect safe, quality health care. Those who require acute care will always have access to it at our Hospital. COVID-19 screening stations are set up at Hospital entrances and all the necessary infection control precautions are being taken to ensure the health and safety of all staff, professional staff, patients and the community.
Q. What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
A. COVID-19 symptoms can include: fever, cough, difficulty breathing, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, runny nose, chills, or gastrointestinal symptoms (eg. nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea).
Q. How can I get tested for COVID-19?
A. You can schedule your COVID-19 test online by visiting http://tbh.net/bookonline. If you think you’re experiencing symptoms or wish to book by phone, please call (807) 935-8100.
For questions about COVID-19 symptoms, self-isolation and monitoring, or testing criteria, please contact the Thunder Bay District Health Unit at (807) 625-5900 or toll free at 1-888-294-6630.
Q. What is the treatment for COVID-19?
A. There is no currently no confirmed/approved treatment plan, drug, or vaccine for COVID-19. Patients who require hospitalization for the virus are typically given supportive care treatments, such as oxygen and IV fluids.
Q. Should I be wearing a face mask?
A. The use of non-medical masks (cloth masks) when physical distancing of 2 meters cannot be maintained may help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic people. All patients, staff, and care partners are required to wear a mask or face covering while at the Hospital, including all satellite locations. For an example of how to use a mask, watch this video: https://youtu.be/yMiGto8Iq5Y
Q. What can I do to help the Hospital and my community during COVID-19?
A. The most important thing you can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home and avoid non-essential trips into the community. Always maintain proper physical distancing of 2 meters and wash your hands frequently.
We are also graciously accepting donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To learn more about how you can donate to our Hospital’s COVID-19 response efforts, please visit www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca.
Pandemic Plan
Notre priorité est d’assurer la santé et la sécurité des patients, du personnel, des professionnels et de l’ensemble de notre communauté.
La réponse de l’Hôpital à la pandémie de COVID-19 repose sur un plan de lutte contre la pandémie qui a été élaboré pour la première fois suite à l’épidémie de SRAS; il a été révisé depuis plusieurs fois en fonction de l’évolution de nos connaissances. La version actuelle de ce plan, mise à jour en 2017, s’inspire des lignes directrices de la Santé publique et de la province. On y retrouve des documents clés et des renseignements d’organismes compétents, notamment les suivants:
- Gestion du risque de grippe pandémique de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (2013);
- Plan ontarien de lutte contre la pandémie de grippe (OHPIP) (2015);
- Lignes directrices canadiennes pour la planification de la préparation à une pandémie de grippe dans le secteur de la santé (CPIP) (2015);
- Plan d’intervention d’urgence du ministère de la Santé et des Soins de longue durée (MOHTLC) (2013).
Un plan en cas de pandémie est un document de référence évolutif. Un processus de planification en cas de pandémie vise à définir clairement les rôles, les responsabilités et les relations intra départementales et inter organismes, incluant l’instauration de mécanismes de communication. Le système de Gestion des incidents est activé pour mettre en œuvre le plan de lutte contre la pandémie. L’équipe de gestion des incidents tiens compte et applique les connaissances actuelles, les nouvelles lignes directrices et les recommandations relatives aux meilleures pratiques. Elle s’assure ainsi que les mesures prises s’appliquent à la pandémie actuelle.
La pandémie de COVID-19 représente une crise sans précédent, et la réponse à celle-ci doit s’adapter en fonction de l’évolution de la situation. La planification et la mise en œuvre de chaque décision et action de l’Hôpital en réponse à la pandémie de COVID-19 est mûrement réfléchie. Notre Hôpital oriente sa réponse à la pandémie en fonction de la détermination, de l’expertise et du professionnalisme remarquables du personnel, des professionnels et de ses partenaires; nous leur en sommes infiniment reconnaissants. Mais au-delà de tout, notre réponse à la pandémie s’appuie sur notre détermination sans compromis à assurer la santé et la sécurité de nos patients, du personnel, des professionnels et de la communauté.
Chaque jour, notre équipe de gestion des incidents, à l’instar des experts du monde entier, tire des enseignements de l’évolution de la situation actuelle. Personne n’a jamais vécu de pandémie comme celle-ci. Les connaissances acquises en réponse à la pandémie de COVID-19 sont dument consignées et serviront de fondement à la planification de futures pandémies.
Plan de lutte contre la pandémie
Si vous pensez avoir des symptômes du nouveau Coronavirus 2019 :
- Appelez Télésanté Ontario pour obtenir des conseils de santé au 1-866-797-0000 ou contactez le Bureau de santé du district de Thunder Bay au 625-5900 et demandez à parler à une infirmière de santé publique du programme des maladies infectieuses;
- N’oubliez pas de décrire vos symptômes ainsi que vos voyages récents;
- Si vous avez besoin de soins médicaux urgents, signalez le 911 et mentionnez vos symptômes et le cas échéant, vos voyages récents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What should I expect if I need to come to the Hospital?
A. Patients can still expect safe, quality health care. Those who require acute care will always have access to it at our Hospital. COVID-19 screening stations are set up at Hospital entrances and all the necessary infection control precautions are being taken to ensure the health and safety of all staff, professional staff, patients and the community.
Q. What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
A. COVID-19 symptoms can include: fever, cough, difficulty breathing, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, sore throat, runny nose, chills, or gastrointestinal symptoms (eg. nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea).
Q. How can I get tested for COVID-19?
A. You can schedule your COVID-19 test online by visiting http://tbh.net/bookonline. If you think you’re experiencing symptoms or wish to book by phone, please call (807) 935-8100.
For questions about COVID-19 symptoms, self-isolation and monitoring, or testing criteria, please contact the Thunder Bay District Health Unit at (807) 625-5900 or toll free at 1-888-294-6630.
Q. What is the treatment for COVID-19?
A. There is no currently no confirmed/approved treatment plan, drug, or vaccine for COVID-19. Patients who require hospitalization for the virus are typically given supportive care treatments, such as oxygen and IV fluids.
Q. Should I be wearing a face mask?
A. The use of non-medical masks (cloth masks) when physical distancing of 2 meters cannot be maintained may help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic people. All patients, staff, and care partners are required to wear a mask or face covering while at the Hospital, including all satellite locations. For an example of how to use a mask, watch this video: https://youtu.be/yMiGto8Iq5Y
Q. What can I do to help the Hospital and my community during COVID-19?
A. The most important thing you can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to stay home and avoid non-essential trips into the community. Always maintain proper physical distancing of 2 meters and wash your hands frequently.
We are also graciously accepting donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To learn more about how you can donate to our Hospital’s COVID-19 response efforts, please visit www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca.
Notice:
Your feedback is valuable to us and in order to protect our community during the COVID-19 Pandemic, we will only be accepting and providing feedback through our feedback form, by electronic mail at QRM@tbh.net, or by telephone (807) 684-6019.
Please provide us with your complete email address and a telephone number when submitting your feedback so that our Quality & Risk Management Team may contact you to acknowledge when your feedback has been received.