The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) reports a rise in respiratory illnesses, including influenza cases, hospitalizations, and institutional outbreaks in the region. To help prevent the spread of infections and reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, NWHU urges everyone to take precautions this season.
Rather than visiting the Emergency room the health unit recommends using the North West Region Virtual Care Clinic, which is available at nwvirtualcare.ca, before visiting the emergency room. This Nurse Practitioner-led virtual clinic is available to all residents, operating daily from 12 PM to 8 PM CDT.
The health unit is offering several tips to protect yourself and others from illness this season. Get vaccinated: COVID-19 and flu shots are still available, it’s not too late. They also recommend wearing a mask if you’re sick or around high-risk individuals, wear a well-fitted mask in indoor public spaces. Stay home if you’re feeling unwell. Monitor your symptoms and avoid contact with others when you feel sick. You should also practice good hygiene, wash or sanitize hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, and clean high-touch surfaces.
If you develop symptoms, stay home and isolate from others, especially newborns, seniors, and those at high risk, until all of the following apply
- Your symptoms have improved for 24 hours (or 48 hours after vomiting/diarrhea has ended).
- You do not have a fever (without medication).
- No new symptoms appear.
For 10 days after symptoms start:
- Wear a mask in public.
- Avoid non-essential visits to hospitals, long-term care homes, and high-risk individuals.
- Refrain from mask-free activities like dining out.
For more information on COVID-19 and respiratory illness prevention, visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/protection-covid-19-and-other-respiratory-illnesses.
