Staff and Physician COVID-19 screening
Staff, physicians, and learners are no longer required to complete the daily online screening tool when they come to an HHS site.
Staff, physicians, and learners need to remain vigilant for symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that could appear and when they have had high risk exposures. When these events occur, they can use the online tool for guidance on next steps when a yellow or red alert flag is triggered.
For healthcare workers who may need a PCR test, the Hamilton COVID-19 Assessment Centre is now located at: St. Joseph’s Hospital West 5th Campus.
Universal masking by everyone is required at all our facilities.
Guidance on Self-Isolation, Testing and Return to Work for Staff & Physicians
The following information will help healthcare workers navigate the guidance and indicate if they are eligible to come back to work sooner.
COVID-19 guidance chart for staff and physicians
Definitions
- Work self-isolation: healthcare workers only leave their house to attend work and while at work, they remain masked the entire time, and take breaks while staying at least 2 metres away from anyone.
- Vaccinated: healthcare workers who have received two doses of COVID vaccines (or one dose for the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine) with the last dose at least 14 days prior.
If you have any questions about the guidance above, please speak with your leader or contact Employee Health Services.
Rapid Antigen Tests
We are continuing to work with the province to secure and distribute rapid antigen test kits to staff and physicians across all of our sites. Please watch for site specific details regarding dates and locations to be shared via email notifications and in the HHS dispatch.
Boosters for Healthcare Workers
Healthcare workers who received their second dose more than six months ago as of November 6th, are eligible to receive a booster dose through the HHS healthcare worker vaccination clinic. You must make an appointment using Public Health Services online booking system: www.hamilton.ca/getyourvaccine
NACI has recommended booster doses based on evidence of gradual waning immunity six months after receiving a second dose and a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Please see the Government of Ontario announcement and NACI guidance document for details.
While you are not required to submit proof of a COVID-19 booster to be in compliance with the HHS Vaccination Management Policy, you are encouraged to share this information with HHS Employee Health Services for inclusion in your employee health file. You can upload this documentation using the self-reporting tool.
NOTE that a new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine is anticipated to be approved by Health Canada this fall, which may offer more targeted protection against the Omicron variants. Currently there is no estimate of when it will receive approval or become available.
Staff safety and COVID-related absences
Staff Travel
International travel
Please see the Government of Canada guidelines here: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid
Travel within Canada
For travel within Canada, please see the provincial and territorial restrictions here: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/provinces
What this means for HHS staff, physicians, residents and learners
- Staff must continue to obtain approval for vacation from their Manager/Supervisor
- Staff are required to report to work unless they are directed otherwise by EHS.
- Staff who are required to self-isolate as a result of travel, will not be paid.
Mandatory reporting of COVID-19 vaccination status, additional vaccine resources
HHS Resources
- Staff & Physician Volunteer Vaccine Status Mandatory Reporting (select “guest”) If you have been contacted by your leader or Human Resources and asked to comply with the mandatory reporting requirement, you MUST take action. Upload proof of vaccination receipt from Ontario Health.
- How to complete your mandatory vaccination status report and upload your receipt: a step-by-step illustration
- COVID-19 Vaccination FAQs
- COVID-19 Vaccination Management
- Self-administered, home rapid antigen tests and result reporting
(for staff and physicians who have not reported their vaccination status, or who have reported an unvaccinated status)- COVID-19 Home Testing FAQ (updated Sept. 20, 2021)
- How to do a Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Self-Test: Illustrated instructions
- How-to video
- Instructions for online education – self-enrollment through HHS learning management system “MyLearning” inside Citrix
(for staff and physicians who have not reported their vaccination status, or who have reported an unvaccinated status) - Form: COVID- 19 Medical Exemption
- Form: COVID- 19 Religious/Creed Exemption
- HCP Toolkit for COVID-19 Vaccines During Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Planning Pregnancy
Resources to support vaccine confidence
- Hamilton Public Health (with involvement/support from HHS clinicians/specialists):
- Online: https://www.hamilton.ca/people-programs/public-health/diseases-conditions/coronavirus-covid/covid-19-vaccine for Q&As about the vaccine, plus xlinic locations and times.
- One-on-one/peer support via the Vaccine Confidence team at Hamilton PHS: vaccineconfidence@hamilton.ca
Vaccine Intervention Resources
- HCP COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations – Reminder Systems
- HCP Toolkit – COVID-19 Vaccines for Ages 5-11
- Postcard – COVID-19 Getting Vaccine
- Quick Reference Tool – Minimal Contact COVID-19 Vaccine Intervention
Provincial Resources
- COVID-19 Vaccines in Pregnancy
- Directive #6 for Public Hospitals regarding compliance with a COVID-19 vaccination policy
- Resource Guide – Chief Medical Officer of Health’s Directive #6
- Provincial Vaccination Receipts
Laboratory Testing for COVID-19
Universal patient testing for COVID-19 upon admission
We will be moving to a universal testing approach to all patients requiring admission to hospital as an additional means to try to reduce risk of patient-to-patient transmission, and potential outbreaks. This measure is due to the rising COVID community epidemiology. This will be put in effect Thursday, December 30, 2021.
This means all unexposed and asymptomatic patients being admitted to hospital will have an oral/nasal COVID only swab conducted for surveillance (regardless of past COVID history or vaccine status). Refer here for further instructions.
New COVID-19 only test
The HRLMP virology lab is now testing for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causative agent of COVID-19 as a stand-alone test, in addition to the current test where COVID-19 is tested along with the routine respiratory virus panel (Influenza A & B, RSV, Metapneumovirus, Parainfluenza 1, Rhino/Enterovirus, Adenovirus).
A nasopharyngeal swab is the preferred specimen. Proper collection is essential for a good quality specimen. Refer here for collection instructions.
Order Entry mnemonics for testing:
- COVID-2019 ONLY – Meditech: COVID19 Dovetale: COVID-19 PCR
- Full respiratory virus panel including COVID-2019 – Meditech: CVIRNPS; Dovetale: Nasopharyngeal, virology detection
Please avoid duplicate testing. Only ONE of the COVID-19 tests on a NPS should be ordered at the same time
Sputum for COVID-19
- Sputum for COVID-19 is now tested at the HRLMP virology laboratory. Use the order entry meditech mneumonic COVID19.
- Sputum and other lower respiratory specimens (ETA, BAL) should not be ordered routinely at the same time as a NPS. If the NPS is negative and the patient has pneumonia, consider obtaining a sputum (non-induced) /ETA if the clinical picture is highly suggestive of COVID or if symptom onset to testing is >5-7 days. There may be high risk situations with disease severity when both may need to be collected at the same time, but this should be uncommon.
Alternative swabs and transport media
Refer to the Laboratory Test Information Guide
Please refrain from contacting the virology lab directly. Specimens are tested upon arrival at the laboratory and expedited testing of individual specimens is not possible. Please continue to transport COVID specimens by Porter NOT the tube system.