Letter to residents served by Prince Edward Family Health Team

As winter is upon us, we are yet again adapting to ongoing changes with the COVID-19 pandemic given the lockdown status we all face. The lockdown is effective until Jan 23, unless otherwise advised by the government. We would like to take this opportunity to update our community on how we will continue to provide care to our patients.

At this time, the government of Ontario has not made any formal announcements regarding delivery date or mode of delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Ontario government has announced that the first wave of COVID-19 vaccines will be provided to the most vulnerable (such as nursing home and retirement home residents) and healthcare workers. It is unclear if the vaccine can prevent transmission of COVID-19, so our best defence continues to be personal protective equipment, social distancing and hand hygiene.

Our offices remain open during the lockdown. However, the majority of care will still be provided via phone or virtually, per Ministry of Health guidelines. If deemed necessary, select patients will undergo a screening questionnaire by telephone prior to being brought into the office. We ask that you please contact your doctor’s office or PEFHT central phone (613-476-0040 ext. 0) via phone ahead of time so social distancing measures can be maintained.

The COVID-19 centre remains open at Picton Arena and testing guidelines continue to evolve. For information on COVID-19 or when to schedule a test, please see the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health website at https://hpepublichealth.ca/ or call them at (613) 813-6864 for more information and assistance.

If you are unsure if you need a COVID test, please refer to the Ontario self-assessment tool at: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/.

We thank you for your continued support, cooperation and patience during this pandemic and look forward to working with you to ensure your best health throughout the winter season and beyond.

Sincerely,
The PEFHT Family Doctors and entire PEFHT Team