COVID-19 Disease and Infection
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. For information on COVID-19 data, and considerations for schools, childcare, parents and caregivers, please visit our main Respiratory Illnesses page. This page, and other pages in our Respiratory Illnesses section, will be updated as information changes.
COVID Vaccinations
Find the latest COVID vaccination opportunities: www.hpph.ca/getvaccinated
Directly book or cancel an appointment for yourself or someone else through the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre or call 1-833-943-3900
Learn more about the vaccines, out of province doses and more at our COVID vaccine section.
COVID Symptoms, testing, treatment and prevention resources
If you were exposed to COVID-19, tested positive or have symptoms |
If you are having difficulty breathing or are experiencing other severe symptoms, call 9-1-1 and inform them that you may have COVID-19. Visit the provincial webpage, Protection from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses to learn how to protect yourself, your family, and your community from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. Stay home when sick If you are sick with COVID-19 or another respiratory illness, stay home to prevent spreading the virus to others, except to seek testing or medical care if required. You should stay home until all of the following apply to you:
When your symptoms are improving and you are no longer isolating at home, doing the following can provide extra protection against the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses circulating in the community. For 10 days after your symptoms started:
If you work in a high risk setting If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19 and work in a high-risk setting (such as a hospital, a long-term care home, or a retirement home), you should speak with your employer and follow your workplace guidance for return to work. If you test positive for COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms For information on isolation and what to do if you test positive for COVID-19, visit the provincial webpage, Protection from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. Please see the following provincial resources for more information:
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COVID-19 Testing and Results |
If you have questions related to COVID-19 testing and isolation guidelines visit the Protection from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses webpage. For information on testing eligibility, testing locations, and receiving results please visit COVID-19 testing and treatment. If you have symptoms but are not eligible for testing, assume you have COVID-19 and follow COVID-19 health advice. Rapid Antigen Testing HPPH has rapid antigen tests (RATs) available for the public at our Clinton, West Gore and Festival Square offices during business hours, 8:30am to 4:30pm, and at the Listowel office on Fridays, 10am to 2pm. If you think you need a COVID-19 test, assessment or treatment, you can:
If you think you have COVID-19 and are seeking treatment, don't delay. You will need to start treatment within 5 days of the start of symptoms. Anyone with severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, or any other medical emergency should call 9-1-1. |
COVID-19 Antiviral Treatments |
For general information and eligibility, please visit Antiviral Treatments. To determine if you are at higher risk of severe COVID-19 and should be assessed for treatment, use the provincial COVID-19 antiviral treatment screener. Antiviral treatment is not a substitute for vaccination and is intended for those who are at higher risk of severe outcomes. To learn more about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, please visit COVID-19 vaccines. If you have symptoms (even if mild) and are at higher risk of severe COVID-19, seek testing and care immediately by either:
You can use a rapid antigen test if you have one, but it's important to understand that these tests may be negative in the early stages of infection. If you do not have a rapid antigen test, or if your test result is negative, seek PCR testing and clinical assessment immediately. If you are high risk and do not have a primary care provider or are having difficulty accessing care, call Health811 (formerly Telehealth) at 8-1-1 or visit the Health811 website. You can speak to or chat online with a nurse for information on antiviral treatments, assistance, or eligibility for virtual care options. If you do not have symptoms but are at higher risk of severe COVID-19, talk to your primary care provider about getting pre-assessed for treatment in case you contract COVID-19. |
Post COVID-19 Condition (Long COVID) |
Post COVID-19 condition is when the symptoms of COVID-19 persist for more than 12 weeks after the infection. It's also known as long COVID and can affect both adults and children. You can show symptoms of post COVID-19 condition even if you:
Post COVID-19 condition is not COVID-19. Symptoms can persist for weeks or months from the initial COVID-19 infection, but you can also develop new ones. The best way to prevent post COVID-19 condition is to take measures to avoid getting infected in the first place, such as staying home when sick, wearing a well-fitted mask, and getting vaccinated. For more information:
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Workplaces: Resources and Managing Risk |
COVID-19 continues to circulate and remains a potentially serious illness. The following groups are at higher risk of severe outcomes (long COVID, hospitalization or death) from COVID-19.
If your staff or patrons consist of people in the above categories (or interact frequently with these groups), consider which measures you can take to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread.
Visit Ontario's COVID-19 and workplace health and safety page for information and tools to help you protect workers, customers, and the public from COVID‑19 and other infectious respiratory illnesses. |