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Media Release: HPEPH thanks all residents helping to stop the spread of Omicron. Help end the pandemic by staying home if you have symptoms.

Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/Jan. 6, 2022

As we enter another year of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) wants to thank you for your patience and continued efforts to protect yourself, your families and the community.

As we continue our work to deliver vaccines, your efforts to slow the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant in our community are more important than ever. While Omicron may be less severe than previous variants of COVID-19, its high transmissibility has resulted in a larger number of hospital admissions. Evidence shows that approximately one per cent of Omicron cases in Ontario require hospital care and with the rapid rise in Omicron cases, our hospitals could quickly exceed capacity.

In the past week there have been many changes announced by the province about PCR testing eligibility, isolation and the return to modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopening in response to Omicron. These changes will help slow the spread of Omicron – which is critical to protect the capacity of the health care system and prevent illness and death.

“Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19, should assume they are positive and isolate immediately,” says Dr. Ethan Toumishey, Acting Medical Officer of Health. “Omicron is much more transmissible than previous variants and the only way we will slow the spread – and the impact on our health care system – is if everyone follows public health guidance and isolates even if they have mild symptoms. You don’t need a test to know what to do. If you have symptoms, do your part and isolate as directed.”

What to do if you have any symptoms of illness:

What to do if you had exposure to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or someone with symptoms of COVID-19:

What to do if you test positive for COVID-19:

Get vaccinated

HPEPH is working with community partners to administer COVID-19 vaccines in the region. For updates on eligibility and availability, visit the Booking and Eligibility webpage and follow HPEPH on Facebook and Twitter.

To check current availability:

For the most up to date information on COVID-19 visit hpePublicHealth.ca.

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Media contacts

Emily Tubbs, Communications Specialists
etubbs@hpeph.ca

Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
mhyland@hpeph.ca

About Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is a public health agency that serves the counties of Hastings and Prince Edward from four local offices. We monitor the health of our local population, deliver programs and services within our communities, and help develop healthy public policies. We provide information and support in many areas to help improve the health and well-being of our residents. Together with our communities, we help people become as healthy as they can be. For more information, please visit hpePublicHealth.ca. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

We invite community partners and residents to share this Media Release with their respective networks.

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COVID-19 vaccines in HPE

Eligible individuals can receive their vaccination at many participating local pharmacies by contacting the pharmacy directly. Please visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations for location and registration information.

Vaccine ordering for health care providers

Vaccine orders for routine immunizations and STI medications continue to be available through HPEPH by using our vaccine order forms; however, please note that our vaccine delivery/pickup procedure has changed. For the most up to date pick up schedule please visit hpePublicHealth.ca/vaccine-orders-info-healthcare-providers/.