Covid-19 Plan

COVID-19 Updates & Information

• Our clinic has started Virtual Care
• Find resources on navigating COVID-19 in daily life and protecting yourself and your family
• Learn about COVID-19 and “Back to school”
• Read information on COVID-19 testing
• Learn about how to get your COVID-19 vaccine

We ask our patients to please read all the information below:

Office Protocols & General COVID-19 Information

• The symptoms of COVID-19, are similar to other respiratory illnesses and include a dry cough, fever, tiredness and may involve difficulty breathing.
• If you are having trouble breathing or are extremely unwell, and cannot wait for a phone appointment, you should seek emergency health services at a hospital or urgent care centre or calling 911
• If you think you may have COVID 19 we can help, but please do not come in person to the clinic sick – you will be asked to leave and call us to arrange the best way to be assessed. 
• First, if you have concerns about COVID and think you may need to speak to a health care professional, please first complete this assessment to help guide the best way to access care: https://bc.thrive.health/covid19/en
• If you are still unsure if what you need to do, call to book a virtual appointment with your doctor. We will arrange an in-person assessment and testing if needed
• If you require COVID testing you can get tested at a location near you. Please arrange an appointment with us for for a referral. You can contact a testing site directly for pre-flight COVID testing for essential travel.

If you do come to the office

• Bring Your Own Toys (BYOT) and Reading Material – there are none in the clinic at this time to prevent transmission.
• Limit time spent in the waiting room – Consider waiting in your car and calling us when you arrive. 
• Use Hand Sanitizer –As you enter the clinic and as you move around the clinic.
• Bring a Pen or Pencil – to record your weight and blood pressure or other information.
• Please do not bring other individuals to your appointments unless this is absolutely necessary. 
• If your situation changes prior to a planned in person appointment and you are experiencing cough/fever/respiratory symptoms PLEASE CALL before coming into the clinic so we can make arrangements.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Registering for your Covid-19 Vaccine:

Step 1: Register
You must pre-register on the provincial system to get notified when it is your turn.

Step 2: Book your appointment
You will receive a text, email or phone call when you’re eligible to book an appointment.

Step 3: Get the vaccine

Can I book my appointment online?

Yes, appointments can be booked online at the link below, or over the phone by calling 1-833-838-2323. You can register yourself or someone else, like a parent or grandparent. Everyone 18 and older in B.C. is eligible to get vaccinated, even if you don’t have a Personal Health Number or other documentation.

www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register

Once I get the vaccine will I receive an Immunization Card?

You will have the option to receive a paper and digital copy of your immunization record card. We recommend registering for Health Gateway, where your digital immunization record card will be available after you receive the vaccine

Why should I get the Covid-19 Vaccine?

Vaccines do more than protect you from COVID-19, they also protect everyone around you. The more people in a community who are immunized against COVID-19, the harder it is for the virus to spread. Vaccines approved in Canada have followed the same extensive testing as every other vaccine, and are proven to be up to 95% effective in protecting people from COVID-19. 

Priority Populations

To book a vaccine appointment:

1. Register online or by phone using your Personal Health Number. If you are already registered, you don’t have to register again
2. Call 1-833-838-2323 and self-identify as a pregnant person. The phone agent will book you an appointment

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada supports the use of any COVID19 vaccine at any time in pregnancy.

• COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy – answers for your questions from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC)
• BCCDC – Vaccine Considerations
• SOGC – Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy
• The Society of Obstetrics & Gynaecologists – Pregnancy info

Clinically Extremely Vulnerable:

If you want to know whether you are on the list of clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) patients, who are being fast-tracked to receive the vaccine earlier than their age group, check this link: Vaccines for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable – Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca). It also provides you with direction regarding next steps.

If you think you should be on the CEV list and you haven’t been contacted, you can book an appointment with your family doctor. Please review the criteria in the link above first.

Seniors

Click here to register for your covid vaccine and find the phone number for your health authority. 

More information

• What to expect when you get a COVID vaccine – click here
• For the latest information on the provincial distribution of COVID-19 vaccine, please check the BC Government’s COVID-19 Vaccine Page
• Read Frequently Asked Questions on the Doctors of BC website.
• Reminder: Provincial Health Officer (PHO) orders and guidelines remain in place for everyone, regardless if they have received the vaccine.

Virtual Appointments

In response to COVID-19 and in alignment with physical-distancing, our clinic has established virtual care for our patients. Click here to learn about the virtual appointment services and to register.

Protecting yourself and your family

Click here to read a complete FAQ about how to protect yourself and your family, and to learn more about this virus, or here for a reliable and comprehensive website from the Canadian Medical Association.

COVID Testing

COVID-19 testing is now recommended for patients with cold, influenza or COVID-19-like symptoms, however mild. Symptoms may include: fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, odynophagia (painful swallowing), rhinorrhea (runny nose), nasal congestion (stuffy nose), loss of sense of smell, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, or loss of appetite.

After speaking with the doctor, if we determine testing is needed, we will help direct you to where to get testing. Testing information and locations can be found on this page.

Social Distancing

The most effective way to contain this virus is by limiting our public interactions. Please follow the latest recommendations from the CDC to guide you.

Talking to Your Kids

Not sure how to talk to your kids about COVID? Click here for a helpful approach.

Dealing with stress and anxiety in your family due to the pandemic? Click here for a helpful guide.

Dealing with Stress & Anxiety in COIVD-19

If you are feeling stress, anxiety, or just the need to talk to someone you can book a free appointment with a clinical counsellor.

Back to School and COVID

It is inevitable that as the school year progresses, children will show symptoms of cold, flu, or other illness. During this pandemic, parents will be asking themselves:

• What should I do if my child gets sick? 
• When should we test for COVID-19?
• Should my child stay home? and for how long?
• When do we need a doctor’s note? 

To help with these questions and others, we are sharing documents created by Doctors of BC that will help with effective decision-making both for parents and physicians. 

“How to decide what to do when your child is ill” decision-making tool can be found here.

A chart to whether a doctor’s note is required can be found here.

September 29th update:

With the new Student Daily Health Check (School District 43 used as an example) we know things just got MORE confusing. Here is a quick summary to simplify it:

• If your child has symptoms noted on the student checklist they probably need COVID testing. You can arrange this directly through a testing site.
• Help prepare you child for testing. There are two options
  • Nasal swab – video
  • Gargle test – video (we suggest you have your child practice at home first)
• If your child just has a sore throat or runny nose the student checklist notes that they can still go to school. You may still wish to have them tested. You can arrange this at a testing site.
• If you are still confused, you can book a virtual appointment with us to discuss further.

Work Notes

As per instructions from the Minister of Health and the provincial Medical Officer of Health, we will not be providing notes for work absence due to COVID related concerns. Click here for details.