Waterloo region hospitals to centralize COVID-19 care at Pinebush clinic
Local hospitals are supporting a new regional COVID care pilot clinic (RCCC) to act as a “one-stop shop” for all COVID-19 care.
On Monday, Grand River Hospital said it is working with the support of Ontario Health West to bring the pilot project to the Cambridge Pinebush vaccination clinic.
The regional clinic will provide COVID-19 testing and medications, while public health will provide COVID-19 vaccines. The approach will allow separate hospital clinics providing the same services to close, Vickie Murray, integrated director of pharmacy services at Grand River and St. Mary’s hospitals, said in a media release.
“This is one strategy that we can implement to improve capacity challenges at local hospitals, and enable hospital teams to focus on providing acute care for our community and increase access to that care,” Murray said.
The region recently announced it was reopening the Pinebush vaccination clinic after winding down operations earlier this year.
The mass vaccination clinic reopened on Sept. 26 to coincide with the expanded eligibility of vaccinations, including the Bivalent COVID-19 booster for all adults.
The clinic at 66 Pinebush Road has been designated as a temporary location for the RCCC and offers enough space for Region of Waterloo Public Health to provide COVID-19 vaccinations from the same site.
The hospital said in a media release, community members should still see their family physician or seek a primary care option first for symptoms of respiratory illness. This clinic does not replace care that should be provided by primary care.
“We will continue to look for a more central location to ensure that all local residents are able to access this proactive and comprehensive care,” said Murray. “The lessons learned by teams from all regional hospitals who have supported COVID-19 care and prevention provide a strong foundation to support the success of this clinic. We are passing yet another COVID-19 milestone and I extend our thanks to the hard working teams and our many partners for their collaboration, work and dedication to support our community and provide care when it was needed the most.”
Separate hospital clinics will close at end of day Sept. 30 and the new RCCC will open by appointment only on Oct. 1.
Information to support community members to make appointments at the clinic, including hours of operation will be available on hospital websites starting September 30.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.