COVID-19 Updates: What’s New at Whole Therapy

UPDATED June 12, 2022

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**NEW AS OF JUNE, 12 2022: – Do I have to wear a mask to my appointment?

As of June 12, 2022, masking is no longer required in Ontario outside of the following:

• Long-term care and retirement homes
• Ottawa Public Health clinics

Under current federal travel requirements, upon return from international travel, individuals that are exempt from quarantine AND that are not fully vaccinated must wear a mask at all times when in public spaces (including schools and child care) for their first 14 days in Canada.

Important: The travel guidelines are set by the federal government and are continuously changing. Please check for current federal information here: COVID-19 Travel: Checklists for requirements and exemptions, and direct any questions to the federal COVID-19 information line at 1-833-784-4391 or phac.covid19.aspc@canada.ca.

Individuals who have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 5 to 10 days and wear a well-fitting mask in all public settings for a total of 10 days (see webpage: Self-isolation for people who have symptoms or test positive)

Although isolation requirements have changed for close contacts, household and non-household, contacts are required to wear a mask for a total of 10 days, which may or may not include isolation (see webpage: People who are contacts of someone who tests positive for COVID-19)

The ‘new normal’ looks a little different. Now that our doors are open again, we have made some changes to our clinics to better serve you in this ever-changing climate. Rest assured, as always, we have your best interests at heart.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about what we’re doing to help you have the best, safest, experience you can. Things are changing fast and often, so please check back here for any new updates! We follow first and foremost the Ministry of Health, so if there are discrepancies between this post and their site, please defer to them.

Are you open for in-person visits?

Yes. Both of our clinics at Queensview Drive and Lancaster Road are open as of June 8, 2020. As per the government directive on May 26, we have readied the clinics and to serve you in person again. We will continue to provide virtual appointments for Physiotherapy, Chiropractic, and Integrative Health at your request.

What measures are you taking to screen people for COVID-19?

As part of Ministry of Health guidelines policies, we are required to screen our clients before treating them. Before you book online, we ask that you pre-screen yourself. 2 hours before your appointment, you will be sent a screen via email that must be filled out before you come into the clinic. Your practitioner will go over this screen with you. Anyone who screens positive will be asked to reschedule their appointment and will be referred to public health.

What are you doing as a clinic to ensure my safety as a client?

We have made lots of changes to the clinic space, including:

• We have installed plexiglass barriers at the front desk for safer re-booking and paying interactions
• We have increased time between appointments to decrease traffic in the clinic
• We are disinfecting treatment rooms between patients, and common spaces with high frequency
• We have removed some of our waiting room chairs to allow proper distance
• Increasing our tap limit to $250 to reduce the need to touch our payment terminal, and instituting direct billing to streamline the payment process.

What about hand sanitization?

We ask that you sanitize your hands before entering the clinic. We have provided a table with hand sanitizer outside for that purpose.

Can I bring someone with me to my appointment?

To reduce the number of people in the clinic at one time, we are asking patients to attend their appointments alone if possible. If a patient needs or wants to have someone attend their appointment with them (a parent, guardian, caregiver etc) that person will be asked COVID-19 screening questions, will need to provide their name and contact information, and will be required to sanitize their hands upon entering the clinic.

I normally come early for my appointment. Is that still ok?

Being early is always better than being late! But in the interest of keeping clinic traffic to a minimum, we ask that you remain in your vehicle until maximum five minutes prior to your appointment time.

Things are changing rapidly, and our priority is to stay up to date with Ministry regulations and keep our clinics as safe for you as possible.

We welcome feedback and questions, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any.

We can’t wait to see you!