Erie Shores announces vaccine mandate

LEAMINGTON - Erie Shores HealthCare has joined the two Windsor-based hospitals in launching vaccination policies that extend beyond staff and physicians.

Beginning September 7, 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.

This policy is in line with the recently released vaccination and testing policy implemented by the hospital for all staff, physicians, contractors, students, and volunteers and mandated by the provincial government.

The policy was also reviewed and approved by the Erie Shores HealthCare Patient and Family Advisory Council.

“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.”

Individuals can visit covid19.ontariohealth.ca to download their vaccination receipt, which will be required as proof of vaccination.

Note that Erie Shores HealthCare will not accept rapid test results. Visitors will need to arrange their COVID-19 test at a community swabbing centre. For a complete list of area Assessment Centres, visit covid-19.ontario.ca/assessment-centre-locations.

A hospital-based COVID-19 Assessment Centre, like the one at Erie Shores HealthCare, can only test/swab symptomatic patients or people in other specific situations, per Ontario government direction. A listing of the testing restrictions can be found at erieshoreshealthcare.ca/COVID19AssessmentCentre.

All individuals entering ESHC will be required to wear hospital-provided PPE as directed by the hospital, regardless of vaccination status.

Individuals are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as they are medically able to do so. Pharmacies and Healthcare Centres across Essex County are providing access to vaccines daily. A complete listing of all community vaccination locations is available at covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations.

Mobile clinics operated by the Community Response and Stabilization Team are also available across the region or the public can walk in and get vaccinated at the mass vaccination site at Devonshire Mall.

Members of the public are asked to be patient as these processes roll out. The screening will continue to be in place at the main entrance of the hospital, with the addition of requiring a vaccination receipt beginning September 7.