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More on COVID-19: It is no wonder that family physicians are stressed. The highly infectious Delta variant is driving a fourth wave as we get closer to the season when there is traditionally a rise in respiratory infections anyway. Children are back to school. There are expectations that family physicians get back to seeing more patients in person to keep them out of the ERs, to catch up on preventive care, monitoring chronic diseases and supporting our patients with mental health concerns.
The London Middlesex Primary Care Alliance recently held a Town Hall, and I was pleased to see so many committed and engaged family physicians discussing strategies and ideas about how to ramp up in- person care safely and effectively in family doctors’ clinics and offices. With the upcoming winter season and the expected increase in respiratory infections there is a need for us to assess symptomatic patients safely in our clinics, including completing COVID tests to reduce the pressure on ERs. It is through coming together with colleagues, and sharing education and best practices, that we will help each other and our patients to weather this fourth wave and gradually move back towards normal operations.
COVID Vaccination: The hospitals, the university and colleges and many businesses are implementing mandatory COVID vaccine policies which are helping to drive up vaccination rates towards levels that will protect our communities broadly. Evidence is clear showing that fully vaccinated individuals are protected against severe disease from COVID, hospitalization and death. The vaccines are highly effective. The majority by far of the people with COVID admitted to hospital and ICU are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated.
Family physicians with hospital privileges are required to report their vaccinations to Medical Affairs and Occupational Health. For LHSC appointments use the following: OHSS_Appointments_VH@lhsc.on.ca or OHSS_Appointments_UH@lhsc.on.ca and for SJHC appointments sjhcvaccination@sjhc.london.on.ca.
Also send to Medical Affairs who are now keeping a database of professional staff vaccinations Medical.Affairs@lhsc.on.ca
If you have not reported your vaccinations or have a medical exemption or human rights exemption from having the vaccine then you must complete antigen testing and report your results 3 x week. Please note that for professional staff there is a deadline of October 1, 2021 for you to apply for a human rights or medical exemption, if you believe you qualify.
Those FPs who are faculty members in our department are also required to report vaccinations to Western if you plan to be on campus for any reason. COVID-19 Vaccination Policy If you don’t report your vaccinations or have a medical or human rights exemption then you must complete antigen testing 2x week starting before you are on campus and during the time that you will be accessing the campus.
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