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COVID–19 Information and Resources

COVID-19 Case Summary

Please see the latest COVID-19 Case Summary for information on the cumulative confirmed case count of COVID-19 in Renfrew County and District. This case summary will be updated biweekly on Thursdays.

For more information and data on respiratory diseases, including COVID-19, influenza (flu), and other respiratory viruses, visit RCDHU’s Respiratory Illness Data Summary for Renfrew County and District.

For more information on local COVID-19 activity, including weekly number and rates of COVID-19 cases and outcomes, please visit the Ontario Respiratory Virus Tool.

For COVID-19 vaccination information and clinic schedules, visit: COVID-19 Vaccination Information.

Rapid Antigen Testing Kits

To support ongoing access to COVID-19 testing through the fall of 2023, RCDHU is making rapid antigen tests (RAT) available to residents. RATs can be picked up at the following locations:

  • RCDHU’s Pembroke main office at 141 Lake St., Pembroke
  • Community COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinics
  • At the following municipal office locations:
    • Town of Arnprior
    • Township of Killaloe Haggarty Richards
    • Township of Laurentian Hills
    • Township of South Algonquin
    • Township of Whitewater
    • Township of Bonnechere Valley
    • Township of Madawaska Valley

For more information on rapid antigen testing and how to use at-home kits, please visit Ontario’s: Rapid testing for at-home use

 

PCR or Rapid Molecular Testing

Booking your COVID-19 Testing:

You must call the 24/7 RC VTAC phone line at 1-844-727-6404 to schedule your testing time. Testing is completed through appointments only.

Are you eligible for COVID-19 Testing?:

To find out if you are eligible for PCR or rapid molecular testing, please visit the following Ontario webpage

Accessing your test results:

To access results for COVID-19 testing, please contact the provider who ordered your test. RCDHU is unable to provide test results to the general population.

Take this self-assessment if you have any symptoms of illness or tested positive for COVID-19. You can also take it on behalf of someone else. You will get a recommendation on what to do next.

While Ontario, like other jurisdictions, has taken measures to be able to live with and manage COVID-19 for the long-term, we still need to do our part to protect ourselves and others, especially during respiratory illness season.

This includes using the layers of protection that we know help keep ourselves and others healthy:

  • staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines and flu shots
  • screening daily for signs of illness and staying home when you are sick
  • Ontarians may consider wearing a tight-fitting, well-constructed mask in indoor public settings, especially anyone at higher risk of severe infection.  Setting-specific masking policies should be followed.
  • clean your hands often
  • covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth unless you have just cleaned your hands
  • regularly cleaning high touch surfaces

For more information on respiratory illnesses, visit RCDHU’s Respiratory Illnesses: Flu, RSV, COVID-19.

For more information visit Ontario’s webpage: Protection from COVID‑19 and other respiratory illnesses. 

What is Physical Distancing?

Physical distancing includes, but is not limited to:

  • Avoiding crowded places and non-essential gatherings.
  • Avoiding common greetings, such as handshakes.
  • Limiting contact with people at higher risk (e.g. older adults and those in poor health).
  • Keeping a distance of at least 2 arms lengths (approximately 2 metres) from others, as much as possible.

For more information on physical distancing view Government of Canada’s information sheet: Physical distancing

In order to decrease transmission of COVID-19 in Renfrew County and District (RCD), Renfrew County and District Health Unit recommends that all residents of RCD practice physical distancing. Physical distancing involves limiting the number of people you come into close contact with to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the community especially during high risk of transmission periods.

What is hand hygiene?

Hand hygiene is the most effective way to prevent you and others from getting sick due to an infection. Hand hygiene refers to the cleaning of your hands by either washing them or applying alcohol-based hand rub. Consistently practicing good hand hygiene is essential to reduce the spread of infection in your home, in daycares, schools, workplaces, and public places.

When should you clean your hands?

  • Before, during, and after preparing food
  • Before eating food
  • Before and after caring for someone who is sick
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound
  • Before and after changing contact lenses
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing diapers or assisting a child who has used the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After being in a public place or outdoors
  • After touching an animal, feeding an animal, or picking up animal waste
  • After handling garbage

How should you clean your hands?

If you have soap and clean running water available, you can wash your hands to reduce the spread of germs. However, if soap and water are not available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 70% alcohol.

How to wash your hands with soap and water:

  • Wet your hands under warm, running water
  • Apply liquid soap
  • Lather and rub hands for at least 15 seconds (hint: if you don’t have a timer, sing happy birthday twice!)
  • Rinse your hands
  • Towel dry your hands (avoid air-blow dryers)
  • Turn the taps off with a towel or your arm/sleeve

How to clean your hands with a hand sanitizer:

  • Place a quarter-size drop of alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your palm
  • Rub your hands together, palm to palm
  • Rub the back of each hand with palm and fingers of the other hand
  • Rub around each thumb
  • Rub the fingertips of each hand, back and forth in the other hand
  • Rub until your hands are dry (at least 15 seconds)

Quick tip: Applying a non-scented moisturizer to your hands daily will also help ensure your skin remains healthy and prevents chapping leading to optimal hand health!

Cover your cough

Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your arm, not your hand

To stop the spread of germs that can make others sick, you should always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and put your used tissue in a waste basket and clean your hands as soon as possible. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands, than clean your hands.

Why? Coughs can force out thousands of tiny droplets of saliva which can spread germs. In fact, 3,000 droplets are expelled in a single cough, and some of the droplets can fly out of your mouth at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Sneezes are even worse than coughs for spreading germs because they can produce as many as 40,000 tiny droplets of saliva which can exit your nose and mouth at speeds greater than 200 miles per hour. By covering your coughs and your sneezes, you can help prevent the spread of germs to others. Also, always remember to clean your hands after coughing or sneezing.

For more information on how to protect yourself and your family, visit: RCDHU’s Healthy Living Infection Prevention and Control webpage.

The Government of Canada determines the rules for entering Canada, including individuals who are fully vaccinated. Restrictions vary depending on which country you are travelling from.

 

 

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Pembroke Office

141 Lake Street, Pembroke, Ontario K8A 5L8

Phone: 613-732-3629
Toll Free: 1-800-267-1097
Fax: 613-735-3067

Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Renfrew Service Hub (By Appointment Only)

120 Plaunt Street South, Renfrew, Ontario, K7V 1M5

Services offered by appointment only.

If you require an alternative accessible format or assistance accessing information on this page, please contact us at contact@rcdhu.com or 613-732-3629.