HEARST: As a province, many medical associations and health units are reminding us that we are still living with COVID-19. In an effort to provide communities in the region with helpful hints to continue to stay safe and healthy the Porcupine Health Unit (PHU) provided some helpful guidelines.
In their announcement, PHU highlighted the fact that in addition to the many tools accessible by Ontarians on the province’s website to keep safe,and as a result of the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ontario has updated public health guidance to manage COVID-19 during what is described as “the respiratory illness season” this fall.
PHU shared those updates as follows:
• If you are in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, continue to self- monitor for symptoms. There is no longer a need to isolate but you should wear a mask for 10 days when in public.
• If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough, or runny nose, stay home from school, work and social events until your fever is gone and symptoms are improving, get a rapid antigen test or, if eligible, a PCR test. Wear a mask for 10 days after and avoid non-essential visits to high-risk individuals and settings.
• If you work in a highest risk setting you should speak with your employer and follow their workplace guidance for return to work. For routine operations (i.e., in the absence of staff shortages), COVID-19 positive cases that work in highest risk settings may return to work:
- 10 days after symptom onset or date of specimen collection (whichever is earlier); AND
- Provided they have no fever and other symptoms have been improving for 24 hours (or 48 hours if gastrointestinal symptoms).
For those still wishing to access more information about these changes visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19-stop-spread .