To help keep patients, residents, and staff safe and healthy, visitors with COVID-19 symptoms (or any flu or cold symptoms) are asked not to visit patients or residents in care facilities. 

If you have symptoms like fever, new or worsening cough, sore throat, acute loss of sense of smell or taste, new onset of muscle aches, or other symptoms (gov.nl.ca/covid-19) please delay your visit and call 8-1-1.

For individuals presenting for an appointment or routine service:

• If you have any one or more symptom(s) of COVID-19, please do not enter a health-care facility.
  • Please stay home.
  • Call ahead to cancel/reschedule your appointment.
  • Complete an online assessment or call 8-1-1.

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Health Services advises the public that masking is temporarily required in all clinical areas in hospitals and health-care facilities, including long-term care facilities, effective Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. Updated masking requirements in clinical areas apply to visitors/support persons, clients, patients (outpatient clinics and emergency departments) and health-care workers. 

With health-care facilities seeing an increase in respiratory illness, these updated masking requirements are put in place to help reduce the spread of infection. NL Health Services continues to monitor epidemiology, hospitalizations and outbreaks and masking guidelines will be re-evaluated by April 14, 2025. Masking requirements remain in place due to the review of the epidemiology and based on the current spike in respiratory illness seen in the province and within our health-care facilities.

The public is also reminded that self-screening for COVID-19/respiratory illness remains in effect and physical distancing is encouraged where possible. 

Masking  

• Visitors/support persons, clients and patients (outpatient clinics and emergency departments) are required to wear a well-fitted medical mask in all clinical areas, including in waiting areas for health-care services/appointments, clinical care/treatment areas and while visiting patients and long-term care residents. These requirements do not apply to patients admitted to hospital or long-term care residents. 

• Individuals seeking or receiving health-care services who are symptomatic (i.e. experiencing any one or more symptoms of COVID-19 or respiratory symptoms) or have a rash are reminded that they are required to wear a mask upon entry and at all times while inside a health-care facility. Visitors/support persons who are feeling unwell or sick should not visit patients/residents or accompany others to appointments.  

• Individuals can wear their own medical mask or a mask provided at the health-care facility. Cloth masks and masks with exhalation valves are not permitted.  

• Visitors/support persons should not visit a health-care facility if they feel ill or are experiencing COVID-19, flu-like or gastrointestinal symptoms.  
• Visitors/support persons are directed to follow signage at health-care facilities and meet the self-screening requirements before proceeding inside the health-care facility. In addition, visitors/support persons can complete self-screening prior to arrival at the facility by visiting their former legacy organization website: Central, Eastern, Labrador-Grenfell and Western. 

These precautions are in place to help keep patients, clients, long-term care residents, visitors, staff and physicians safe and help in the prevention and spread of infection. NL Health Services thanks the public for their co-operation.  

Visitor/Support Person: COVID-19/Respiratory Illness Screening

1. Do you have any one or more of the following symptoms?

• Fever (including chills/sweats).
• New onset of muscle aches.
• Vomiting or diarrhea for more than 24 hours.

New or worsening:

• Cough.
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
• Runny, stuffy or congested nose (not related to seasonal allergies or other known causes/conditions).
• Sore throat or difficulty swallowing.
• Headache.
• Acute loss of sense of smell or taste.
• Unusual fatigue, lack of energy.
• Loss of appetite.

If yes, do not visit.

2. Are you self-isolating (including modified self-isolation)?

If yes, do not visit (except in specific situations for labour and delivery and end-of-life visitation, and only in consultation with the clinical care team).

All visitors/support persons must:

• Perform hand hygiene.
• Follow all guidelines for the unit/area you are visiting. (Visitation policy: Two people may visit at the same time).

Patient Screening: Patients, residents and clients are screened at point of registration. The COVID-19/respiratory illness screening tool allows for any necessary precautions (e.g. personal protective equipment and isolation protocols) to be put in place, as required, to help protect patients, staff and physicians as they provide health-care services. Patients are directed to contact the relevant clinic prior to arriving for their appointment at an Eastern Health hospital or facility if they are experiencing one or more symptoms of COVID-19 or are self-isolating

COVID-19 Testing

All patients requiring hospital admission as well as patients who receive health-care services in hospitals, health-care centres/clinics and via home visits from Eastern Health staff, will be screened for COVID-19/respiratory symptoms via the triage risk assessment screening tool. Individuals who have symptoms will be assessed via the screening tool and will be tested, as needed.