TADH increases restrictions due to COVID-19 concerns

**TADH NEWS RELEASE**

Timmins and District Hospital is advising the public that we are increasing restrictions at the Hospital on the advice of provincial authorities. We are taking these steps to ensure that there is capacity for the sick if this gets worse, to protect our vulnerable patients in Hospital and our staff.

Given these measures we are asking for the public’s assistance with the following:
We have introduced active screening for everyone entering the Hospital. This means you will be asked if you have symptoms, have travelled outside Canada and/or had contact with someone who has travelled or contact with someone with COVID-19.
Visitor restrictions are being introduced today as follows:
-Hours will be restricted from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
– Only one visitor, age 18 or older, per patient at one time will be allowed
– No visitors will be permitted in high risk areas, i.e. isolated patients, Critical Care Unit
– Exceptions will be made in situations involving trauma and end of life, in consultation with the Manager of the Unit
We are carefully ramping down elective surgeries and other non-emergent clinical activity.

The hospital is closely monitoring the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Help keep our emergency department available for trauma and emergent care patients. Call the Porcupine Health Unit at 705-267-1181 to speak to a public health nurse, or call your health care provider if you suspect COVID 19 exposure.
The public is reminded that all individuals with cold, flu or gastro-like symptoms (cough, fever, runny nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea) are not to visit any patients at the Hospital.

These measures are being taken to ensure we are able to provide emergency services through the ER and to minimize the risk of transmission to patients. The Timmins and District Hospital (TADH) is a level B, fully accredited community, referral and teaching hospital serving the residents of the City of Timmins and Cochrane District as well as the adjoining areas of the Timiskaming, Sudbury and Algoma districts. The hospital offers a full range of medical, surgical, critical care, maternity, newborn, pediatric, long-term care, mental health and diagnostic imaging services.