Provincial Antigen Screening Program - Intake Portal 

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Shared by the Ministry of Health

Shared May 13, 2021

The Provincial Antigen Screening Program intake portal is now live on the Ontario Together website. 

As of May 7th, eligible organizations looking to provide COVID-19 screening to their staff on-site can find out if they are eligible to receive free rapid antigen tests through the Ontario Together website at the following link, in English and French: 
ontario.ca/testingonsite
ontario.ca/depistagesurplace

As you may already know, with results available in about 15 minutes, workplace rapid antigen screening allows organizations to quickly identify potential COVID-19 cases among workers not showing symptoms (asymptomatic) and help prevent outbreaks that may otherwise lead to a closure.  Additionally, workplace screening for COVID-19 can help keep organizations open, support business continuity and enhance safety.
The COVID-19 Testing for Organizations page provides a ‘one-stop shop’ for eligible organizations to apply for rapid antigen test kits through the Provincial Antigen Screening Program. The website will help an organization determine their eligibility for free tests, then intake them into the program providing all the necessary guidance and information about how to order tests and set up a screening clinic on-site. The new page will also allow eligible organizations to digitally manage their planned intake, onboarding and ordering of test kits, and access related training resources and materials, all in one spot. 
Organizations eligible to receive free rapid antigen tests through the Provincial Antigen Screening Program must agree to program terms and conditions and review onboarding and training materials, before ordering free rapid antigen tests from the province of Ontario. Furthermore, all sites implementing rapid antigen screening in Ontario must ensure the tests are used in accordance with the COVID-19 Guidance: Considerations for Antigen Point-of-Care Testing
Please note, rapid antigen screening does not replace COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures.

Take the Pledge to #StopTheSpread Campaign - Communications toolkit

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Shard by the Ontario Hospital Association

Shared on October 14, 2020

This October, let’s commit to protecting our family, friends and community by taking the pledge to #flattenthecurve and ask others to do the same. It hasn’t been easy. But we made it this far because we always find the strength to do the right thing.

Take the pledge to #StopTheSpread and encourage others by telling them how you’re doing your part:

  1. Take the pledge and commit to doing your part to keep everyone safe.
  2. SHARE! Tell others how or why you’re stopping the spread of COVID-19, and who you’re doing it for

Communications toolkit is available here [PDF]

COVID Alert App

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Shard by the GOvernment of Ontario and Government of Canada

Shared on July 31, 2020

The COVID Alert app is now available for free from the Apple and Google Play app stores.
This new made-in-Ontario mobile privacy-first app, a joint initiative of the Governments of Ontario and Canada, lets you know quickly if you may have been exposed to COVID-19. You can then get tested, sooner, to help protect yourself and those around you. 


COVID Alert also provides access to the most up-to-date public health advice and resources to anyone who receives a message that they may have been exposed to the virus, including recommended actions, such as: get tested, self-isolate, or monitor for symptoms. To protect the privacy of all users, the app does not share any details about the time, date, or place of any potential exposure; and does not collect or share any personal information, such as the name, phone number, permanent device identifiers, locations or testing status of any users. 
 
By alerting more Ontarians faster of potential exposure to COVID-19 and providing direct access to public health resources, COVID Alert can help keep us safe and help reduce community spread. 
 
While the app is voluntary, everyone is encouraged download and use the app to help protect yourself and your colleagues. Please promote and introduce this key tool to your colleagues, family, friends, neighbours, and patients. The more of us who use the app, the more effective it will be in helping to stop the spread.

Stay safe and don’t forget that physical distancing, wearing face coverings, practicing good hand hygiene and keeping our social circles safe have been and remain critical in helping us stop COVID-19. 


Protect yourself, protect others. We are in this fight together.
 

COVID Alert Marketing Materials are available here: 

Return to: COVID-19 Resources: Infection Control Resources and Tools

Hamilton and McMaster FHTs provide drive-thru COVID-19 testing for 60 people per day

Y108 News article published April 23, 2020

By Lisa Polewski

Hamiltonians can now book a COVID-19 test at the city's drive-thru site, based inside the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena.
It’s not quite the same as a fast-food drive-thru, but the COVID-19 testing centre at the Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena is as efficient as it gets.

Since Hamilton’s third testing site opened its doors a week ago, they’ve been testing about 60 people per day.

An Open Letter from AFHTO, NPAO and the OCFP on PPE in Primary Care During COVID-19

April 15, 2020

An open letter regarding PPE in Primary Care during COVID-19 was released today from the Association of Family Health Teams of Ontario (AFHTO), Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO) and the Ontario College of Family Physicians (OCFP). On behalf of our members - who are caring for patients in communities across Ontario in the midst of COVID-19 - we are seeking urgent assistance from Ontario's Ministry of Health in ensuring access to appropriate PPE in order to safeguard patient access to primary care.