* Unfortunately, our practice is full and cannot accept any more patients. * 

COVID-19 Information (updated Feb 28)

  1. COVID-19 VACCINES

 At the present time, COVID-19 vaccinations are ONLY available at specific designated locations in the community.  Vaccines are NOT yet available in doctors’ offices.  If you are a member of any of the following priority groups, you are now eligible to pre-register for a COVID-19 vaccination:  

  • Long-term care and retirement home staff, residents and essential caregivers
  • Adults 80 years of age and older
  • Indigenous adults 
  • Adults receiving chronic home care
  • Patient-facing health care workers involved in the COVID-19 response: Specimen Collection Centers, teams supporting outbreak response, vaccine clinics, and mobile teams, Mobile Testing Teams, COVID-19 Isolation Centers, COVID-19 Laboratory Services
  • Medical first responders (paramedics, medical first response firefighters)
  • Community Health Centres serving Seniors, Indigenous, disproportionally affected or at-risk communities, and needle exchange & supervised consumption and treatment services
  • Home and community care health care workers caring for recipients of chronic homecare and seniors in congregate living facilities or providing hands-on care to COVID-19 patients in the community
  • Health care workers in congregate settings (assisted living, correctional settings, residential facilities, hospices, palliative care settings, shelters, supportive housing)
  • Health care workers in primary care, respirology, birthing centres, walk-in clinics and community-based specialties
  • Death investigation professionals
  • Dentistry
  • Contract nursing agencies
  • Pharmacies
  • Laboratory services

If you do not belong to any of the above priority groups, you will NOT be able to pre-register at the present time.  For pre-registration and other information about the vaccine for the region of Waterloo, please click on this link:  https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/covid-19-vaccine.aspx#

If you are not eligible to pre-register at the present time but you want to find out where you stand in the Canadian COVID-19 vaccination queue, please visit this link: 

https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/vaccine-queue-ca

  1.  COVID-19 TESTING

If you have any symptoms compatible with COVID-19 or have had possible contact with a person with COVID-19 infection, STAY HOME AND COMPLETE THE ON-LINE COVID-19 SYMPTOM SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL:

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/

After you complete the self-assessment, please follow the recommendations given.  If you are recommended to get COVID-19 testing, you will be provided with a list of locations where you can schedule an appointment for testing (walk-ins are not allowed). 

If you are having trouble breathing or rapid worsening of symptoms, or if you are elderly, immunosuppressed, or have a serious chronic illness, you should go to your nearest Emergency department for assessment.

  1.  HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

This pandemic has been with us for a year now, and there is still no indication of life returning to “normal” for quite some time yet.  Although most people who get COVID-19 infection have a relatively mild infection and are sometimes asymptomatic, it is important to realize that some people do die from this virus and others continue to have ongoing health issues for a long time after their COVID-19 infection clears.  As a result, we urge you to please continue to do your best to help reduce the spread of this infection. 

Even when not in a state of emergency or lockdown state, please remember and follow these very important guidelines, which definitely do help to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

  1. IF YOU ARE A RELATIVELY HEALTHY PERSON WITH MILD TO MODERATE COLD OR FLU SYMPTOMS, STAY IN YOUR HOUSE UNTIL ALL SYMPTOMS HAVE RESOLVED, BUT PLEASE MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE COVID-19 TESTING (see below).
  2. WASH YOUR HANDS AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN, AND AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
  3. PRACTICE “SOCIAL DISTANCING” AT ALL TIMES, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE WELL.
  4. WEAR A 3-LAYER HANDMADE MASK WHENEVER YOU ARE OUT IN PUBLIC AND UNABLE TO GUARANTEE MAINTAINING 2 METRES (6 FEET) DISTANCE FROM OTHER PEOPLE.

We have posted some other helpful links about COVID-19 below to help keep you up to date on the ever-changing picture of this pandemic.  If you have any questions about any issues related to this pandemic, please phone our office to make an appointment to speak with your doctor.  Stay safe everyone, wash your hands, and keep your distance!

Yours,

Dr. Scott Wright and Dr. Stefanie Wright

NOVEL CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION

Useful links:

COVID-19 Vaccine - Region of Waterloo

Vaccine Queue Calculator for Canada

COVID-19 Assessment and Testing Centres in Waterloo Region

CPSO - COVID-19 FAQs for Patients

https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

Coronavirus Update (Live) from Worldmeters

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"Any person presenting a red and white OHIP card after July 1, 2020 will be required to pay for all health services until a new photo health card is obtained."