The St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital is making some changes to help further protect patients and staff from the spread of COVID-19. Beginning today (Mar 27) the hospital will be temporarily erecting tented areas outside of the Emergency Department to provide additional space for precautions to be implemented before patients enter the building.
Craig Watkin, Director of Emergency and Medicine Services says they will be performing a “pre-triage” outside in these tents for anyone entering the ER for any medical need and not just COVID-19.
Watkin stressed that this is by no means an Assessment Centre but has been put in place as an additional level of safety to protect patients and staff in the Emergency Department.
STEGH also encourages anyone planning to visit the hospital to consider other options including calling your family doctor, visiting a walk in clinic, contacting Telehealth Ontario or if you are severely unwell, to call 9-1-1.
