COVID-19 information and updates

*For the most up-to-date information and news, please visit Public Health Ontario here.

General COVID-19 Information:

What is the current risk of contracting COVID-19 in Renfrew County?

For up-to-date information about the Renfrew County situation, please visit the Renfrew County and District Health Unit website.

What is my next step if I think I may have COVID-19?

If you are experiencing at least one COVID-19 symptom or may have been exposed, contact the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre at 1-844-727-6404 to pre-register for testing at one of the drive-thru clinics. More information below.

*The Government of Ontario has posted an online COVID-19 self-assessment guide. Find it here.

How can I protect myself and my family from COVID-19?

Wash your hands often with soap and water, or hand sanitizer
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth unless you have just washed your hands with soap
Cover you cough and sneeze with a tissue or into your arm, not your hand
Stay home if you are sick
Practice physical distancing
Wear a mask or face covering in enclosed public spaces

The Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre:

What is the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre?

The Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre (RC VTAC) is a new pandemic healthcare service to reduce the demand on Emergency Departments and provide Renfrew County residents, who do not have a family physician or cannot access their family physician, with the appropriate level of care when they have any health concern (including concerns related to COVID-19).

Who can access it?

Any Renfrew County or South Algonquin resident who has a health concern (including concerns related to COVID-19) and does not have a family physician or cannot access their family physician.

How can I access the Centre?

Call 1-844-727-6404
Have your OHIP card ready
A medical receptionist will take your details and arrange for a physician or nurse practitioner to contact you via telephone.

How does the Centre provide care?

The RC VTAC is a virtual solution that allows nurse practitioners, physicians and/or community paramedics to assess and manage health concerns in multiple ways depending on a person’s needs.

This includes:

Phone appointments
Video appointments
In-home assessments and diagnostic testing by community paramedics
Remote monitoring and alerting and if necessary, escalation to a designated team of physicians and allied health professionals for the management of patients with COVID-19
Drive-thru COVID-19 testing at pop-up location across Renfrew County
Referral to other services including mental health support

Where can I learn more?

Visit www.rcvtac.ca

Clinical services impact:

Which ARH programs, clinics etc. have been indefinitely closed due to COVID-19?

Seniors Active Living Centre
Men’s Shed
Adult Day Program

What is the impact to non-urgent surgeries, procedures, clinics or diagnostic tests?

The hospitals in the Champlain Region, including ARH, have started taking a safe, coordinated and gradual approach to increasing scheduled services, which were postponed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the hospitals and clinicians are eager to care for as many patients as safely possible, this measured approach is in line with direction from the provincial government, which acknowledges this process will take weeks and months.

Care teams are reviewing each case individually based on medical need and urgency, ensuring that risks and benefits are properly evaluated before rescheduling the surgery, procedure, diagnostic imaging or clinic appointment that cannot be done virtually. Patients will be contacted as their care can be rescheduled.

Hospital visitor information:

Can I visit my loved one in the Hospital?

Beginning June 20, the Hospital is allowed care partners to visits patients on the Inpatient Unit (visiting no longer only applies to patients who are very ill or dying).

Each patient will determine who their care partner is and visits must be pre-arranged and follow the safety procedures (i.e. screening, wear a face mask, physical distancing etc).

Can I visit my love one at the Grove?

Currently, the Grove can only allow essential visitors (the loved one of someone very ill or dying) indoors. The Grove is now facilitating outdoors visits that must be pre-arranged and follow safety procedures.

If I’m not permitted to visit at this time, how can I stay in touch with my friend or family member?

Patients and residents will find the new visitor restrictions difficult. ARH encourages friends and family to keep in touch regularly through phone calls or video chats (if possible). While visitor access is restricted, ARH will not charge patients to have a telephone in their room to help make it easier for them to stay connected with friends and family.

Can I drop off personal items for my family or friend who is an inpatient at the Hospital?

We understand that patients may want to have personal items (i.e. clothing, toiletries etc) or snacks dropped off to make their hospital stay more comfortable.

In order to prevent the risk of these personal items carrying the virus into the hospital, ARH is not allowing personal items or snacks to be dropped off for inpatients at this time.

*Medical items (i.e. prescriptions, inhalers) are exempt from this restriction.

Coming to ARH and active screening:

If I’m coming to the Hospital, do I need a mask?

Yes. In keeping with the Renfrew County and District Health Unit’s mandatory mask directive, all individuals coming to the Hospital are expected to wear a mask or face covering.

Is ARH actively screening at entrances?

At both the Grove Nursing Home and the Hospital, we are actively screening everyone (including staff) upon arrival at each open entrance in order to best protect our patients, residents, clients and staff.

What are my next steps if I failed active screening?

You must self-isolate and contact Renfrew County District Health Unit at 613-735-8653 ext. 555 as soon as possible.

When will active screening measures be lifted?

At this time, there is no clear timeline. ARH will continue to follow the guidance of Public Health and the Ontario Ministry of Health to determine when it is safe to end active screening.

Which hospital entrances are open?

Open entrances on the weekend:

Entrance D (opened from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.)
Entrance E (Emergency Department)

Open entrances Monday to Friday:

Entrance A (opened at 8 a.m.)
Entrance B (opened from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.)
Entrance D (opened from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.)
Entrance E (Emergency Department)

Individuals who come to the hospital must only use Entrance E if they need to access the Emergency Department or if another entrance is not open.

*FOR HOSPITAL STAFF: Print and complete the COVID-19 screening tool here before arriving at the Hospital. Please note you MUST wait and show the screener your completed form before proceeding past the screening station.

Proper use of cloth masks

Members of our community have donated cloth masks for people to use in health-care settings, at home during health-care visits, or in public spaces.

How to put it on:

Clean your hands before you put on your clean mask.
Make sure the mask covers your nose and mouth and does not slip down.
Do not touch the front of the mask while you are wearing it.

How to take it off:

Clean your hands before you remove your mask.
Remove by pulling on the ear loops or ties, being careful not to touch your face or the front of the mask.
Clean your hands after you remove your mask.

How to clean it:

Wash your mask when it is soiled, and ideally daily.
Launder with hot water and regular laundry detergent.
Discard your mask if it cannot be cleaned or if it is torn or damaged.

*Please remember that having your mask does not replace the need to: physically distance (stay 6 ft apart); limit non-essential outings; clean your hands often; and stay at home if you are unwell or have been instructed to do so by Public Health or your health-care provider.

Management of COVID-19 in hospital and Grove:

What happens if an ARH patient or resident is screened positive for COVID-19?

Any patient or resident who is screened positive for COVID-19 will be placed on additional precautions and testing will be completed.

Emergency Department:

What do I do if I have a non-emergency health concern?

For non-emergency health concerns (including those related to COVID-19), contact your family physician or the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre (if you don’t have access to a family physician) to help ensure ARH maintains the Emergency Department’s capacity.

Can I get a COVID-19 medical note at the hospital required by my employer or insurance company?

ARH physicians (family practice, Emergency Department) will not provide medical notes related to COVID-19 as per the request from employers or insurance companies. Community members will be directed to call Renfrew County District Health Unit at 613-735-8653 for follow-up.

Hospital parking:

How has parking at the hospital been impacted?

ARH opened the parking gates to provide free parking to all staff, patients and visitors during the COVID-19 outbreak. Beginning July 1, regular paid parking will resume as the Hospital increases non-urgent clinical services .

Community support:

Is ARH accepting community donations of medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Yes. We are now accepting donated medical supplies from local businesses and the broader community in order to ensure the Hospital and Grove Nursing Home have a longer-term supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more, please contact [email protected]

What medical supplies are needed?

ARH is accepting the following unopened, unexpired medical supplies: