Worrying that you have may have COVID-19?
Local screening and assessment services are at NHH and ready to help.
The Northumberland Hills Hospital COVID-19 Assessment Centre continues to provide local screening and assessment services for individuals of all ages.
In addition, NHH announced Friday (Apr 17) that COVID-19 Assessment Centre team members will expand an existing partnership with Northumberland Paramedics to proactively reach out to organizations and groups in west Northumberland to offer on-site testing and support in the community.
The first local case of COVID-19 was identified just over a month ago, and since then, staff and physicians in the COVID-19 Assessment Centre have had over 1,064 connections, virtually or in person, with individuals concerned that they may have COVID-19.
Of those, more than 277 have been tested.
Further to the recent provincial direction to expand and enhance testing for COVID-19 across Ontario, the NHH Centre is now encouraging patients with both typical and atypical symptoms of the virus to reach out for advice and screening.
These symptoms now include:
Fever/chills
Cough
Shortness of breath
Sore throat
Runny nose
Nasal congestion
Difficulty swallowing
Unexplained fatigue
Unexplained headache
Joint/muscle aches
Loss of taste or smell
If you have any of these symptoms, a preliminary virtual screening will be made over the phone here:
NHH COVID-19 Assessment Centre – 905-377-7783
HKPR District Health Unit – 1-866-888-4577 ext. 5020
Telehealth Ontario – 1-866-797-0000
OR complete the online self-screening tool.
And now, NHH and Northumberland Paramedics will be offering on-site testing and support for Alderville First Nation, area long-term care residences, retirement homes, communal living environments, and others, as required.
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Effective Monday (Apr 20), there will be new hours of operation for NHH COVID-19 Assessment Centre To accommodate the NHH COVID-19 Assessment Centre’s community outreach: the Centre will be open for virtual screening (by telephone) between 8AM and 4PM, Monday to Friday, and from 10AM to 2PM Saturdays and Sundays.
Appointments will be pre-booked following the virtual screening assessment for those who require physical assessment at the Centre.
In the event that symptoms are severe, call 911 and alert the dispatcher to the potential concern regarding COVID-19 so they can be appropriately prepared.
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What to expect when visiting the NHH COVID-19 Assessment Centre:
Patients who are directed to present to the Centre for physical assessment will be asked to wash their hands and answer a series of pre-screening questions immediately inside the entrance of the hospital prior to visiting the Centre.
Temperature will be taken and those wearing latex gloves will be required to remove them prior to entry to ensure completion of hand hygiene.
All patients coming into the hospital will be asked to don a mask.
Visitors are not permitted to join, only the individual requiring assessment.
Hospital staff within the Assessment Centre will complete the screening process, and administer the test (if deemed clinically appropriate).
The test consists of a swab, inserted into the throat and nasal passage.
It is not painful, but many report that it is briefly uncomfortable.
Following the test patients are directed on next steps as required.
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How are results shared, and how long does it take?
All swabs processed by the NHH Centre and Northumberland Paramedics are sent for processing in a regional lab.
Results are typically available within 24 to 72 hours and will be communicated directly to the patient, through either the local Public Health unit, the province’s online result portal or the patient’s primary care physician.
