CCH Asking Residents Not to Come to the Emergency Department for a COVID-19 Test

As the highly contagious COVID-19 Omicron variant continues to fuel exponential growth in exposures to the virus and increased demands for testing, Cornwall Community Hospital (CCH) is asking members of the community not to come to the Emergency Department for a COVID-19 test only. Emergency Department capacity must be protected for ill patients requiring care/treatment.

CCH is also asking members of the community to visit the Eastern Ontario Health Unit website at www.eohu.ca/en/covid/covid-19-testing-assessment-centres to determine testing eligibility prior to calling the Assessment Centre.

Although staff have been working hard to meet growing demands for testing, the Assessment Centre’s phone lines are extremely busy and its fixed capacity must be prioritized.

Hospitals throughout Ontario including CCH are also dealing with a human resource shortage, and staff exposed to the virus need to be tested and cleared for return to work as soon as possible so we can continue caring for patients.

“We understand individuals may be concerned about their current status; however, we would ask that people do not come to the Emergency Department unless you also require medical attention,” explains Dr. Lorne Scharf, Chief of Staff and Emergency Department Physician at CCH.

“We are asking residents to avoid calling the Assessment Centre and booking an appointment unless it’s absolutely necessary, or if you have been directed to do so by the Eastern Ontario Health Unit,” added Jeanette Despatie, President and Chief Executive Officer of CCH.