Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC), in consultation with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, has confirmed the COVID-19 outbreak on North Wing at South Muskoka Memorial Hospital (SMMH) Site is over.

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“With the higher level of COVID-19 transmission in Simcoe Muskoka, there is a greater risk of getting sick with potential for severe illness,” said Dr. Colin Lee, SMDHU’s associate medical officer of health. “Getting this season’s COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you are able if it has been 6 months since your last COVID infection or vaccination will help to protect you and those around you. It is also important to layer protective measures as ways to help prevent illness.”

The more precautions a person takes the better they and others will be protected. This can be done by:

1. Staying home when you are sick with any symptoms of respiratory illness and keeping children home from school or child care if they are ill.
2. Cleaning hands and disinfecting high-touch surfaces frequently; covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
3. Wearing a mask in indoor public settings, especially if you are at higher risk of severe infection.
4. If you fall ill and are 60 years and older, or are at a higher risk of severe illness, you should test yourself for COVID 19 using a home rapid antigen test (RAT) and seek medical care as soon as possible as you may benefit from available COVID‑19 treatment.
5. RAT kits are available to the public for free at SMDHU and can be picked up at all health unit offices (excluding the Barrie clinic at 80 Bradford St.) during regular business hours. They may also be available at pharmacies and health care provider offices.

Individuals aged six months and older who are not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines are able to receive the updated XBB formulation free of charge at participating local pharmacies, some health care providers and health unit clinics. For information on health unit clinics, please visit our website for dates and locations. In addition to appointments, some health unit clinics will accept walk- ins as they are able. Appointments are available online through the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre or by calling 1-833-943-3900.

The health unit also strongly recommends getting the influenza vaccine. This vaccine is available free of charge to individuals aged five years and older at participating local pharmacies, health care providers and health unit clinics. Children aged six months to two years may receive the flu shot from a doctor, nurse, or health unit clinic by appointment.

The health unit recommends that individuals be aware of the COVID-19 Community Risk Level and Weekly Respiratory Virus Update, assess their own personal circumstances that could put them at higher risk, and to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and others against transmission of respiratory viruses and severe illness.

The COVID-19 Community Risk Level is based on five indicators (percent positivity of PCR tests, local cases, hospitalizations, institutional outbreaks, and wastewater surveillance) that are monitored weekly. Together, these indicators make up the current overall COVID-19 risk level in our community as one of the following levels: lower (caution), moderate, high, or very high. At this time, we are seeing increased activity in four of those indicators, including hospitalizations due to COVID-19 infection, which puts the level at high.

For more information about COVID-19, influenza and immunization, visit www.smdhu.org or contact Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Three patients have tested positive for COVID-19.

Enhanced cleaning measures are underway. Admissions to the unit are on hold at this time and visitors are not permitted unless under special circumstances. Essential Care Providers are permitted and will receive instruction regarding required Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) measures.

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Although anyone can access a RAT kit, they are especially recommended for individuals who are at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19, such as those over age 60 and those who have medical conditions or are immuno-compromised. This is because there is an effective oral anti-viral medication against COVID-19 for those higher risk groups. To find out in advance or when you fall ill if you would be eligible and recommended for this treatment if you test positive for COVID-19, go to the provincial anti-viral screener .

Previously, free RAT kits were available through some retailers and pharmacies throughout Ontario. However, due to lower transmission rates of COVID-19, the province ended its distribution of the free rapid antigen tests to these locations on June 30, instead making them available through public health units. Local retailers and pharmacies will continue to offer these free test kits to the public while their supplies last.

Over the past several months, Simcoe Muskoka has also experienced a decrease in reported confirmed COVID-19 cases, a decline in COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths, and the Community Risk Level has consistently remained at the ‘Lower (Caution)’ level. During this period of lower COVID-19 rates the health unit has adjusted the frequency of reporting on the state of the virus in the community from weekly to monthly. Currently, COVID-19 HealthSTATS pages are updated on the first Thursday of each month, with the next report being issued on Aug. 3. The COVID-19 Community Risk Level has been taken down for the summer months and will resume in the fall when COVID-19 activity increases in our community.

For more information about COVID-19 and how to access a rapid antigen test kit from the health unit, visit www.smdhu.org/COVID19 or call Health Connection weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520.

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Effective Monday, July 10, healthcare workers continue to wear masks when interacting directly with patients, however masks are now optional in public areas like front lobbies, hallways and other communal areas of our two sites. Masking remains mandatory for healthcare workers, volunteers, patients, visitors, vendors and contractors in all inpatient rooms, patient treatment spaces, such as clinics and ambulatory care areas, and waiting areas where patients are present, such as the Emergency Department and Diagnostic Imaging.

“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our control measures and response have been in alignment with provincial direction, recommendations by public health, and in-step with our peer hospitals,” says President & CEO Cheryl Harrison. “We find ourselves in a more stable phase of the pandemic where there is currently low-to-moderate community transmission of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses, low hospitalization and ICU admissions for all respiratory viruses and more COVID-19 immunity. Amending our policies to focus on patient care activities and patient contact protects our most vulnerable patients while also providing our team members with some masking reprieve.”

Surgical masks continue to be available at entrances and in various clinical areas.

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Effective May 1^st, the Clinic will stop providing COVID-19 PCR testing, and as of June 16^th, it will no longer offer COVID-19 vaccinations.

Access to COVID-19 testing and vaccination after the above noted dates may still be available from local pharmacies or other agencies as advertised. You may reference www.Ontario.ca/COVID for the most up to date information regarding testing, vaccination and therapeutics, or you may call Health Connect Ontario or 8-1-1 to speak with a registered nurse for health care services you may need.

“Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH), in partnership with the Couchiching OHT have offered responsive COVID-19 services to our community for over three years,” said Melanie Moore, Director of Integrated Planning at OSMH and Co-Director of the Couchiching OHT.

“The efforts of our staff, clinicians and partners have ensured that the communities we serve have had access to care when and where needed. We thank our community who demonstrated great collaboration and support for one another during the heights of the Pandemic, and thankfully, we are now able to move beyond the need for urgent COVID-19 services to be provided.”

The Clinic first opened in March 2020 shortly after the global pandemic was declared, and eventually transferred over to the Rotary Centre for the majority of the pandemic in order to accommodate the overwhelming demand for service, before moving back to OSMH.

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“The decision to close the clinic is due to decrease in demand for community PCR tests,” says Sharon Ramagnano, RVH Operations Director, Emergency, Critical Care, Trauma and Sperling COVID Assessment Centre. “In addition, RVH is following the current Ontario Ministry of Heath direction which no longer requires hospital staff to have a PCR test if they have COVID symptoms. Clinic staff will be relocated to the COVID, Cold and Flu Care Clinic still operating at 29 Sperling Drive.”

RVH has played a key role in the testing of TEAM RVH and local residents for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Testing started as a drive-thru service on RVH’s property and then, in September of 2020, moved to the current location at 29 Sperling Drive. Since 2020, more than 270,000 tests have been completed through RVH’s clinic.

People requiring a PCR test can still book one at participating pharmacies by using this link  COVID-19 testing locations (ontario.ca)

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Based on guidance from Health Canada and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health is recommending high-risk individuals receive their next COVID-19 booster dose this spring.

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“Vaccination has saved thousands of lives and prevented tens of thousands of severe illnesses from COVID-19 in Simcoe Muskoka. I am profoundly grateful to RVH for their collaboration and tireless work providing accessible and essential vaccination services in our community,” says Dr. Charles Gardner, Medical Officer of Health, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. “Together as a community of healthcare and community service agencies and providers we have given more than 1.5 million COVID vaccinations, reaching over 80 per cent of our population. This has been the most severe pandemic of the century; however, it would have been far worse without all that we did together, including vaccinations.”

Vaccination remains the best defense against infection, severe illness, long-term COVID-19 symptoms, hospitalization, and death. The health unit continues to operate the Immunization Clinic five days a week with walk-ins and appointments available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for eligible individuals aged six months and older. Appointments for the Immunization Clinic can be made on the provincial booking site.

RVH will continue to operate the Testing Clinic and COVID, Cold and Flu Care Clinic at 29 Sperling Drive. Appointments for the Immunization Clinic can be made on the provincial booking site.

Appointments for COVID-19 vaccines are available at health unit office locations in Midland, Orillia, Cookstown, Collingwood, Huntsville and Gravenhurst and can be booked through the COVID-19 vaccination portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900. Appointments may also be booked with the Couchiching Ontario Health Team Clinic located in the Orillia Soldier’s Memorial Hospital Kiwanis Building – West Entrance 170 Colborne St., W. Pop-up clinics will continue to be scheduled throughout Simcoe and Muskoka.

Individuals six months of age and older may also receive the vaccine at some local pharmacies or booked appointments through some primary care providers, and Family Health Teams who are offering the vaccine as part of their regular clinical practice. Individuals are recommended to receive a bivalent booster six months after their last dose of COVID-19 vaccine or COVID-19 infection.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccination, dose eligibility and booking an appointment, please visit www.smdhu.org/GetVaccinated.

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In December 2020, RVH was one of 17 hospitals in the province to be given the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine for distribution, initially to residents of Long-term Care Homes. Together with the SMDHU and the City of Barrie, RVH worked tirelessly during the darkest days of the pandemic to bring hope to the people of Simcoe Muskoka.

Over 293,000 vaccinations were administered at the clinic by 138 doctors and 115 nurses (many of which came out of retirement to help), in addition to the 70 patient service clerks, 18 pharmacy techs, 15 security guards, 10 screeners, four EVS workers, who kept the clinic running smoothly. The Immunization Clinic staff have been relocated to positions within RVH, while many returned to retirement or have stayed on to provide essential support to the COVID, Cold and Flu Care Clinic.

“At a time when our world was upended and so many people feared what was to come, RVH staff and physicians stood strong, providing care for those who were infected and sick. We provided leadership and manpower to vaccinate the community against further spread. My deep thanks and admiration go out to all RVH employees who worked at the Immunization Clinic through tremendously difficult circumstances to keep our community safe,” says Gail Hunt, RVH President and CEO.

The Immunization Clinic will remain open five days a week, now under the supervision of the SMDHU. Appointments for the Immunization Clinic can be made on the provincial booking site.

“Vaccination has saved many thousands of lives and prevented tens of thousands of severe illnesses from COVID-19 in Simcoe Muskoka. Together as a community of healthcare and community service agencies and providers we have given more than 1.5 million COVID vaccinations, reaching over 80 per cent of our population. This has been by far the most severe pandemic of the century; however, it would have been far worse without all that we did together, especially with vaccinations,” says Dr. Charles Gardner, Medical Officer of Health, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. “This clinic is where vaccination commenced in Simcoe Muskoka, and it has always been high profile, accessible, and greatly valued by the community. Indeed, RVH has continued to provide vaccination in this way much longer than almost all other hospitals across the province. I am profoundly grateful to RVH for this and for the COVID-19 assessment centre and COVID, Cold and Flu Clinic that it also operated.”

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