COVID-19

If you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing other severe COVID-19 symptoms, call 911. Advise them of your symptoms and travel history, if applicable.

Region of Waterloo Public Health continues to work closely with local hospitals, health care partners, the Ministry of Health, Public Health Ontario and many community partners to respond to COVID-19 in Waterloo Region.

Waterloo Region residents are strongly advised to continue practicing public health measures and advice and to get vaccinated to slow the spread of COVID-19.

For recommendations on what to do if you’ve been exposed, have symptoms or for screening take the COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool for yourself or on behalf of someone else. 

For more information on COVID-19, visit the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

COVID-19 vaccine

Public Health news and notices

Waterloo Region COVID-19 summary

COVID-19 resources for health professionals

Layers of protection

Everyone has a role to play to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and respiratory viruses (such as the flu). The actions you take will protect you, loved ones and those most vulnerable in our community.

The higher risk you are facing, the more important it is to consistently use as many of these layers as you can.

  • Stay up to date on your vaccines by getting your annual flu shot and your COVID-19 booster as soon as you're eligible. Use this recommendation tool to find out if it's time to get your COVID-19 booster: Booster dose recommendation tool (ontario.ca)
  • Wear a well-fitting mask in public, indoor spaces to reduce the spread of viruses and protects those at highest risk.
  • Wash your hands often and thoroughly. Good hand hygiene is important to prevent the spread of viruses (such as the flu). If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and shared items regularly. Viruses can live for 24 to 48 hours on hard surfaces such as countertops, door handles, computer keyboards, and phones.
  • Stay home if you are sick to prevent transmission to others. Continue to self-monitor daily for signs of illness, and complete the COVID-19 self assessment tool if symptoms develop for recommendations on what to do next. Seek medical attention for severe or worsening symptoms .
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.

For more information on how to layer protection from COVID-19, refer to the How to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 fact sheet, and Ministry of Health’s public health measures and advice.
Testing and treatment

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, use the self-assessment tool to help determine if you are eligible for testing or should seek care.

There are two main publicly funded types of COVID‑19 test available in Ontario:

  • Rapid antigen tests are easy-to-use tests that detect certain proteins in the virus to confirm the presence of COVID-19. These tests are available to all Ontarians for at-home use, and can produce a result in as little as 15 minutes.
  • Molecular tests include polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and rapid molecular tests. These tests are available to eligible individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19. Molecular tests are collected by a health care professional or another trained individual at participating pharmacies and community labs.

Most people with mild COVID-19 symptoms will recover on their own at home without a need for prescription medications.

Antiviral treatments are available at local pharmacies for people with symptoms who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19. Most treatments must be taken within the first 5 days of your symptoms starting.

For more information about the different types of COVID-19 tests and treatments available and how to access them, visit the Ontario Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 testing and treatment webpage.
Schools and child care centres

Please see COVID-19: health and safety measures for child care to learn about the health and safety measures for licensed child care, before and after school programs and early years programs.

A variety of resources for staff and administrators to support COVID-19 prevention and control in schools are available on Public Health Ontario’s COVID-19: Schools and Related Settings webpage.

Licensed Child Care setting operators should notify Public Health when their setting is experiencing increased illnesses above what the setting would typically experience by calling the Service First Call Centre at 519-575-4400 or by submitting the Absent Staff and Children Reporting Form for Child Care Centres.

Current provincial guidelines do not require schools and child care settings to report positive cases to Public Health. 

For questions or concerns about the implementation of the provincial guidelines within a school or child care setting, please first speak with the school administrator or child care setting operator
Workplaces

Positive cases and contacts are advised to notify their workplaces and other settings if they test positive or become symptomatic. They are advised to follow the direction given by their employer for any specific COVID-19 policies in place. 

Businesses or organizations may continue to establish additional policies or requirements above the minimum standards of the regulations for patrons or employees.

Tools and guidance for Ontario workplaces is available on the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 and workplace health and safety webpage to help develop a plan to protect workers, customers, and the public from COVID-19.

Employers of temporary foreign workers

The Provincial government has outlined requirements for employers of temporary foreign workers to reduce the risks to workers and help employers maintain a healthy workforce.

Employers of temporary foreign workers are responsible for thoroughly reviewing government directives in the documents below and monitor for updates:
Workplace vaccine clinics

Region of Waterloo is no longer offering Region-led mobile clinics at workplaces but will support your business in holding an independent clinic by offering:

  • Vaccination information resources
  • Clinic planning information support
  • Connection to various COVID vaccine related health service organizations in the Region

If you represent a business or organization within the Region of Waterloo and are interested in holding an independent vaccine clinic at your workplace, please email: COVIDPartners@regionofwaterloo.ca

 
Mental health and community supports

If you or someone you know is having a mental health emergency, dial 911 or visit your nearest hospital or emergency department. For crisis support, call 1-844-437-3247 (HERE247) or visit here247.ca.

General tips for improving and maintaining mental health can be found on our Mental Wellness webpage.

For more information, please refer to the following mental health and community resources for adults and children:

Resources for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples
Resources 
Translated resources 

Please see the Immigration Partnership's resources available in multiple languages, or the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 communication resources.

Translate this page: 

This website has a built in tool that can translate any webpage into one of over 90 languages. To use the translation tool:

  • Go to the top of the page you want to translate.
  • Look for "Translate +" located to the left of the "What are you looking for?" search box. 
  • Click the "+" sign and select one of over 90 languages from the drop down menu.
  • This translates the website into the language you select. 
  • Video: "How to use the Google Translate feature"

Note: This feature does not apply to PDF downloads or other websites we link to.

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