COVID-19 Updates: Message from the President – March 19, 2020

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you from my kitchen table, as we made the sensible decision to move the Foundation operations to a remote model. Functioning as best we can, please know you can email me directly at terry.pursell@nygh.on.ca, call our office line at 416-756-6944 to be connected to a particular staff member or visit our website at www.nyghfoundation.com. I am also in self quarantine, as my daughter returned from the UK a few days ago and we’re managing under the same roof. We are maintaining an appropriate 6-foot distance, practicing vigilant hand hygiene, avoiding touching our faces and not arguing after a number of days in isolation!

Forgive my second note to you in less than a week but we thought it prudent to share information regarding how North York General is caring for the community during this COVID-19 crisis and provide you with key links for information on assessment and screening.

We launched an incredible COVID-19 online self-assessment tool, COVID19toronto.ca, which is designed to help individuals self-assess their risk of infection and will provide guidance based on your symptoms, contact and travel history. This tool supports the recommendations by public health experts regarding who needs to self isolate, visit the Emergency Department or attend an assessment centre.

The North York General COVID-19 Assessment Centre was the first one in the city to be onsite and operational, and we are assessing up to 300 patients a day using evidence-based standards to perform testing on those who need it. Another first for North York General is our dedicated COVID website for our patients to get their own test results.

Calling Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 for advice is another way to get information and here are some other links for the most up to date information:

• Ontario Ministry of Health (https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus)
• Public Health Agency of Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html)
• NYGH, including information on visitor policy and how to access the hospital (https://nygh.on.ca/covid-19-updates)

I am sharing some photos taken yesterday inside our Assessment Centre, as it helped connect me to the hospital’s efforts and to my colleagues, many of whom I recognize even under their protective equipment. They are tireless. They are fiercely protecting and caring for our community, as are all of the North York General health care and administrative teams across the organization under very trying circumstances.