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The Grey Bruce Health Unit is updating its Covid testing and isolation guidelines.
The health unit says it is echoing the direction of the Ontario government and in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, some of the key changes include:
-Symptomatic testing will be available for high-risk individuals, and individuals who work in high-risk settings
-Individuals with Covid symptoms are presumed positive and should go into isolation
-Testing for asymptomatic contacts of cases is generally no longer recommended, except for high-risk contacts that are part of confirmed or suspected outbreaks
-Positive rapid antigen tests will no longer require PCR confirmation
-Individuals with Covid should isolate for five days if they are fully vaccinated or under the age of 12, and if their symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours
Those for who are eligible for PCR testing include:
-Symptomatic hospitalized patient, patients in emergency departments, patient-facing health care workers, staff, residents, essential care providers, and visitors in hospitals and other living settings, and underhoused or homeless individuals
-People who are from First Nation, Inuit, Métis communities and individuals travelling into these communities for work
-Symptomatic elementary and secondary school students and education staff who have received a PCR self-collection kit through their school
-People on admission/transfer to or from hospital or congregate living settings
-High-risk contacts and symptomatic people in high-risk setting outbreaks
-Individuals and one accompanying caregiver, with written prior approval for out-of-country medical services from the General Manager
-Asymptomatic testing in hospital, long-term care, retirement homes and other congregate living setting and institutions as per provincial guidance and directives