TORONTO – Ontarians tested for COVID-19 will now be able to access their results online, in a move the province says will speed up the process and relieve overburdened local health units.
The new online portal will allow members of the public to access results by inputting information from their photo health card. Along with results, the portal will also provide guidance on next steps. Those with positive results will still be contacted by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, the organization confirmed.
After being told to expect results within a matter of two to three days earlier in March, some patients were stuck waiting far longer as Ontario struggled with a backlog of tests.
"With this new portal, patients will be able to access their test results faster from the safety of their home," said Minister of Health Christine Elliott. "It will help reduce the burden on our public health units and frontline health workers, allowing them to focus their efforts where they are needed most during this challenging time."
An emergency order issued by the province Wednesday also gave health units new powers to circumvent collective bargaining agreements with their staff. They will now be allowed to bring in outside workers and volunteers, including retired nurses or medical students, to do work normally reserved for union members.
The order will also allow health units to change staff scheduling, cancel or defer vacations, and modify staff duties as they see fit. As well, they can cancel or defer other non-COVID-19-related work normally performed by the health unit.
"We are at a critical juncture in our fight against COVID-19," said Elliott. "These actions offer considerable support to our local health units and give them the authority they need to act and contain COVID-19 in our communities."
A representative for the Thunder Bay District Health Unit said it will be discussing the possibilities opened up through the emergency order with its union groups.
The province urges anyone who believes they may have COVID-19 symptoms, or who has been in close contact with someone who has it, to first self-isolate and then use Ontario’s self-assessment tool to determine next steps.
