RENFREW COUNTY — The staff at Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) and Dr. Robert Cushman, Acting Medical Officer of Health, would like residents to know “no news is good news” when it comes to COVID-19 test results. Moving forward, residents will only be notified by RCDHU if they receive a positive test result.
Residents are asked to be patient while waiting for test results, as results can take anywhere from two to ten days to receive due to the current increase in community and long-term care home testing. Unfortunately, the provincial labs are inundated and are running well beyond capacity due to the Government of Ontario’s new testing requirements, all of which is well beyond RCDHU’s control.
Dr. Cushman asks for your patience and adds that “Renfrew County and District has a much lower level of COVID-19 than the rest of Ontario. Since late April, we have been seeing less than one positive test per 1,000 people tested. This is reassuring but we cannot let down our guard because there will, no doubt, be additional spikes in activity in the months ahead.”
If you have internet access, you can monitor your test results through the Government of Ontario’s online portal. For individuals with no internet access, you can assume that the result is negative if you do not hear from RCDHU. The Health Unit would like to remind residents to check on neighbours, family and friends, virtually or from physically safe distances and encourages individuals to help those who may not have access to internet to find resources, information and or test results.
As always, RCDHU would like to reinforce the importance of continuing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community. The risk of illness can be reduced by practicing physical distancing and following proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. This includes maintaining a two metre distance; staying home if you are ill; cleaning your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub; covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and then cleaning your hands; and avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth, unless you have just cleaned your hands.
For more information visit RCDHU’s website at www.rcdhu.com/novel-coronaviruscovid-19-2.
