Vaccination Policy Extending To Visitors At Local Hospitals

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Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, and Windsor Regional Hospital are launching vaccination policies that extend beyond staff and physicians.

Regardless of vaccination status, visitors will still be required to wear appropriate PPE as directed by the hospital. At this time this is a medical grade mask and face shield.

Erie Shores HealthCare:

Beginning September 7th, visitors and designated care partners at Erie Shores who are not fully vaccinated, meaning 14 days have passed since a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, must  provide a negative PCR test result taken within three days of their visit.

In cases where the visitor is a parent with a child in the Emergency Room or visiting a palliative/end of life patient as identified by the clinical team and cannot provide proof of their vaccination or do not have time to receive a PCR test in the community, Erie Shores will  endeavour to accommodate the visitor through another process consistent with the visitor policy to be determined at that time.

“At Erie Shores HealthCare, the safety of our patients and community is paramount. Unfortunately, with the rising COVID-19 case counts locally, the highest in the province, it became clear the recently released vaccination and testing policy for our staff and physicians wasn’t enough,” explains Kristin Kennedy, CEO, ESHC. “It’s clear the highly transmissible Delta variant has taken hold in our community, and Erie Shores needs to take every precaution to keep our patients, staff, and community safe. While we understand this will be an inconvenience for some, it takes each of us doing our part to combat this virus.”

Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare:

Effective August 30th all Registered Visitors and Designated Care partners HDGH who are not fully vaccinated (evidencing 14 days have passed since their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine) must provide a negative PCR test result within 3 days before their visit. Note rapid tests will not be accepted.

In cases where the visitor is visiting a palliative/end of life patient as identified by the clinical team and cannot provide proof of their vaccination or do not have time to receive a PCR in the community, the hospital will endeavour to accommodate the visitor through another process consistent with the visitor policy and will be determined at that time.

All contractors, business partners, volunteers, students or unregistered visitors (including those accompanying patients to outpatient visits) who are entering an HDGH location must show their proof of being fully vaccinated (evidencing 14 days have passed since their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine), along with a valid picture Health (OHIP) Card, or will be denied entry.

Effective September 7th all staff and physicians who are not fully vaccinated (cannot provide evidence 14 days have passed since their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine) must complete asymptomatic rapid testing every Wednesday and Sunday before arriving at work.

“As one of the largest healthcare providers in Windsor-Essex, it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of our patients, staff, physicians and individuals entering the HDGH campus. As the research continues to show, the Delta variant is far more transmissible than any variant we have seen to date, we need to put in place every measure possible to keep this variant from spreading,” explains Janice Kaffer, President and CEO, HDGH. “Our staff and physicians have worked incredibly hard through this pandemic and together with vaccines, masking, testing and physical distancing, we can combat this virus but it takes each of us to do our part.”

Windsor Regional Hospital:

Starting August 30th, 2021, anyone wanting to visit an in-patient or attend with a patient for an out-patient procedure at Windsor Regional Hospital will have to:   provide documented proof of their COVID-19 vaccination evidencing 14 days have passed since their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or provide a negative PCR result taken within 3 days before their visit.

In cases where the visitor is the parent/guardian of a paediatric patient, visiting a palliative/end of life patient,  visiting a laboring patient or visiting a patient with a life-altering or critical illness as identified by the clinical  team and cannot provide proof of their vaccination or do not have time to receive a PCR test result, the hospital will accommodate the visitor through another process to be determined at that time.

“From the start of this pandemic, at Windsor Regional Hospital, we have been proactive with our planning and policies to protect our community and staff. In the past, without vaccinations, we had little choice but to stop visitation of patients when community COVID-19 numbers or positive COVID-19 inpatient numbers increased. With the massive increase in community spread of COVID-19, we have to go further than the minimum set in  the Province based on our local circumstances,” stated David Musyj, President and CEO, WRH.