Following the implementation of the second stage of the province’s reopening plan, the local Health Unit will again welcome members of the public into its offices starting on July 6, 2020.
Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit offices, located in Port Hope, Lindsay and Haliburton, will be open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday. Each office will have safety protocols in place to ensure both staff and members of the public can remain safe.
“While we are pleased to be able to open our doors again, our first consideration is everyone’s safety,” says Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, Medical Officer of Health for the HKPR District Health Unit. “We will be actively screening visitors to be sure they are not ill, limiting the number of people coming into our offices, asking visitors to maintain physical distancing, and requiring people wear a mask if they are coming to our office for an appointment or program.”
Other changes include:
• Plexiglass partitions at front reception
• Signage for physical distancing
• Centralized appointment bookings with pre-screening questions
• Increased cleaning of high touch surfaces and bathrooms
When Health Unit offices closed to the public in March, some programs continued to be offered. This included well water bottle drop off and pickup through an outside distribution area. This practice will continue even when the offices reopen and Health Unit staff will still not be able to check the paperwork for well water samples. When possible, people are also asked to call to book a pick-up time for harm reduction supplies.
“Like other businesses, we are open, but it’s not business as usual,” says Dr. Noseworthy. “For everyone’s health and safety, we are continuing to monitor our practices and work to limit the physical contact between residents and our staff.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
