Special Bulletins

Middlesex London Health Unit - COVID19

Links to Info on COVID19

COVID19 Self Assessment

Return-to-School Decision Trees

Other helpful information on the COVID-19 pandemic

Important Message from London East Medical Centre

In lieu of the current COVID-19 pandemic, our office will be changing how we provide care over the coming weeks.

We will continue to postpone most routine appointments ex. diabetes care, blood pressure checks, physicals, etc. and continue to provide care by phone for any concerns that do not require an in-person visit. We will be seeing select patients in person based on particular concern so please call your physicians line so the staff and physician's can help you during this difficult time. We will continue to provide care in our after hours clinics and Saturday morning clinic, however all appointments must be screened via phone first. Please see our after hours clinic page for details.

Please visit the following website for further information about our current office policies https://www.cpso.on.ca/Physicians/Your-Practice/Physician-Advisory-Services/COVID-19-FAQs-for-Physicians#Resumption-of-Non-Essential-Health-Care-Services.

We advise everyone to monitor the Middlesex London Health Unit's website for updates on COVID-19.

Stay home, healthy and safe.

Thank you for bearing with us as we all navigate this pandemic.

Face Mask Exemption Policy from the Doctors at the London East Medical Centre

In light of the new regional bylaw requiring the mandatory wearing of face masks in work places and areas where physical distancing is not possible, we have been receiving many requests from patients to provide medical exemptions from needing to wear face masks. The physicians at London East Medical Centre will not be issuing any medical exemptions for face masks. The conclusion of currently available medical evidence is that there very few medical conditions which exempt someone from wearing a face mask. In fact, for patients with chronic respiratory conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, seasonal allergies, and chronic sinusitis, the evidence strongly supports the use of face masks to reduce your risk of catching Covid 19 and the severe complications associated with it. For individuals who feel they do not tolerate face masks due to mental health reasons such as anxiety, we recommend avoiding situations likely to trigger anxiety while wearing face masks.

This policy regarding face mask usage is supported by both Canadian and American Lung Associations. You can find these policies regarding the use of face masks here:

https://www.lungsask.ca/sites/default/files/documents/2020/facemask_infosheet.pdf

https://www.lung.org/blog/covid-masks

If you have further questions regarding the above policy, feel free to schedule a follow up appointment with your doctor.

Return to School

Self-reporting forms for return to school / work - can be used instead of a doctor's note which should not be required

While an individual suspected to have COVID-19 is waiting for test results they must be in isolation and cannot attend school in person. The individual can attend school virtually if they feel well enough to participate.

Individuals who have had a COVID-19 test because of symptoms, but who test negative should not return to school until at least 24 hours after their symptoms have resolved.

Individuals who have traveled out of the country should isolate for 14 days.

Where a student or staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, the local PHU will be in contact with the school to provide further direction on returning to school.

Barriers to return to school, such as requirement of medical notes or proof of negative tests, should be avoided.

If an ill individual does not have COVID-19:
For an ill individual who has a known alternative diagnosis provided by a health care provider, return to school can occur when symptoms are resolved for at least 24 hours.

If you have a concern about COVID-19, please follow the steps below.

Use the Ontario Ministry of Health’s online self-assessment tool at https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-self-assessment

Call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 for a telephone assessment if you have symptoms that include fever and/or cough AND any of the following within 14 days prior to the onset of illness:

a. Travel outside of Canada
b. Close contact with a confirmed or probable case
c. Close contact with a person with Acute Respiratory Illness, who has been to an affected area

If you are not able to assess your symptoms, consider visiting the COVID-19 Assessment Centre for further information.

Anyone with severe respiratory illness, or a medical emergency should go to hospital.

Signs of severe respiratory illness include:
•   Shortness of breath/unable to catch your breath
•   Severe fever that does not come down with Tylenol/acetaminophen
•   Energy so low that you are physically unable to get out of bed or barely able and must rest again immediately

London's COVID-19 Assessment Centres

Ontario's Assessment Centres are out-of-hospital clinics where people can be seen by a healthcare provider for COVID-19 related concerns, rather than have them visit an Emergency Department, Urgent Care Centre or their family doctor?s office. They are intended to educate and provide further medical guidance as well as to triage individuals and determine the next steps in their care.

Carling Heights Assessment Centre (booked appointments only) : 656 Elizabeth St., London, ON
Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
You may book an appointment using the online booking platform for either assessment centre on www.covidtestinglm.ca
People with accessibility issues or who do not have access to the internet can call 519-685-8500, ext. 75503, Monday to Friday, starting at 9:00 am, to book an appointment at Carling. They will be asked to leave a voicemail with their name, phone number and reason for test, and we will call them back within 2 business days.

Oakridge Arena Assessment Centre (booked appointments only): 825 Valetta St., London, ON
Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, Closed
You may book an appointment using the online booking platform for either assessment centre on www.covidtestinglm.ca
People with accessibility issues or who do not have access to the internet can call 519-667-6886, Monday to Friday, starting at 9:00 am, to book an appointment at Oakridge. Phone lines close when appointments for that day are full.

Testing Criteria:

Both Centres will only test those who fall within the Ontario provincial guidelines. This includes individuals who:
•     Are showing COVID-19 symptoms. Learn more here
•     Have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by your public health unit or exposure notification through the COVID Alert app; or
•     Live or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by your local public health unit; or
•     Have no symptoms and require a test for LTC visits, international travel or a medical procedure
•     Are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative. by the Ministry of Health.