COVID-19
Visitation and COVID-19/Respiratory Illness screening:
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Visitors/support persons who meet the screening requirements are asked to consider the safety of those you are visiting. It can be especially important to wear a mask if you are around others who are at risk of more severe disease and outcomes.
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Visitors/support persons are directed to not visit a health-care facility if they are experiencing COVID-19, flu-like or gastrointestinal symptoms.
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Visitors/support persons are directed to follow signage at health-care facilities and must meet the screening requirements before proceeding inside of the health-care facility, as below.
COVID-19/Respiratory Illness Screening
Effective March 14, 2022:
Visitors/support persons are directed to self-screen for COVID-19/respiratory illness; this replaces the previous verbal screening by a staff member at point-of-entry.
Patients, residents and clients will continue to be screened at registration and can proceed directly to registration upon arrival at the health-care facility.
Visitation is not permitted if the support person/visitor is symptomatic (i.e. experiencing any one or more symptoms of COVID-19 or respiratory symptoms) or self-isolating (except in specific situations such as labour and delivery and end-of-life visitation and only in consultation with the patient/resident’s clinical care team).
Visitors/support persons are directed to follow signage at the health-care facility they are visiting and must successfully meet the screening requirements before proceeding inside of the health-care facility. Visitors/support persons can also complete the below self-screening prior to arrival at the health-care facility.
Visitor/Support Person: COVID-19/Respiratory Illness Screening
1. Do you have any one or more of the following symptoms?
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Fever (including chills/sweats)
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Cough (new or worsening)
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Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
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Runny, stuffy or congested nose (not related to seasonal allergies or other known causes/conditions)
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Sore throat or difficulty swallowing
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Headache not related to other known causes or conditions
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Acute loss of sense of smell or taste
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Unusual fatigue, lack of energy
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New onset of muscle aches
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Loss of appetite
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Vomiting or diarrhea for more than 24 hours
If yes, do not visit.
2. Are you self-isolating / have you tested positive for COVID-19?
If yes, do not visit (except in specific situations for labour and delivery and end-of-life visitation, and only in consultation with the clinical care team).
Patient Screening: Patients, residents and clients are screened at point of registration. The COVID-19/respiratory illness screening tool allows for any necessary precautions (e.g. personal protective equipment and isolation protocols) to be put in place, as required, to help protect patients, staff and physicians as they provide health-care services. Patients are directed to contact the relevant clinic prior to arriving for their appointment at an Eastern Health hospital or facility if they are experiencing one or more symptoms of COVID-19 or are self-isolating.
Masking
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Masking is no longer required for clients, patients, residents, visitors/support persons upon entry and inside health-care facilities, pending they meet the self-screening requirements. Please note that visitors/support persons who are feeling unwell or sick should not visit patients/residents or accompany others to appointments.
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Individuals who would like to continue to wear a mask are encouraged to do so. Individuals can wear their own medical mask or a mask provided at the health-care facility.
Visitors/support persons who meet the screening requirements are also asked to consider the safety of those you are visiting. It can be especially important to wear a mask if you are around others who are at risk of more severe disease and outcomes, including those with chronic conditions, compromised immune systems and older adults.
COVID-19 Testing
All patients requiring hospital admission as well as patients who receive health-care services in hospitals, health-care centres/clinics and via home visits from Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services staff, will be screened for COVID-19/respiratory symptoms via the triage risk assessment screening tool. Individuals who have symptoms will be assessed via the screening tool and will be tested, as needed.
Links:
COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador
Travelling to Newfoundland and Labrador
Online Vaccination Records for NL Residents