Effective Saturday, December 26 at 12:01 a.m. Ontario is moving to a province-wide shutdown. Further details can be found on the Ontario’s Province-wide shutdown webpage.
Waterloo Region residents should consider COVID-19 to be widely circulating in the community. Residents are encouraged to stay home and only go out for essential purposes. For details review the guidelines for social interactions.
Before you contact Region of Waterloo Public Health review the important updates to symptoms, treatment, and testing.
Public Health may not be able to reach you within 24 hours of your test result, and you may also see your results online before Public Health receives them. We are advising all residents:
- Follow the instructions provided to you by the testing centre
- Check for your test results online
- If you test positive for having COVID-19, continue to self-isolate
- If you live with others, your household members should also immediately self-isolate and seek testing
- If you have had high risk, close contact with others, within 48 hours of when you developed symptoms, tell these close contacts to self-isolate and get tested
If you have any symptoms use the self-assessment tool. For schools and child care centres, use the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool. The screening tool will help determine if you need to seek care, or testing, based on your symptoms. Follow the instructions in the tool.
If you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing other severe symptoms, call 911. Advise them of your symptoms and travel history, if applicable.
COVID-19 assessment and testing
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Waterloo Region COVID-19 summary
Submit a COVID-19 complaint Submit a COVID-19 question
On this page
- Background
- Vaccines
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Testing
- Returning travellers
- How to self-isolate
- Social interactions
- How to protect yourself
- Staying healthy during COVID-19
- Social determinants of health
- Resources
- Translated resources
- Frequently Asked Questions
Background
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 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Waterloo Region.
For more information visit the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Vaccines
Safe and reliable vaccines can help protect you and your family from COVID-19. They will be an important tool to help stop the spread of the virus. For more information visit our COVID-19 vaccine page.
Symptoms of COVID-19
Symptoms of COVID-19 range from mild - like the flu and other common respiratory infections - to severe. The most common symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
If you have any symptoms use the self-assessment tool. For schools and child care centres, use the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool. The screening tool will help determine if you need to seek care, or testing, based on your symptoms. Follow the instructions in the tool.
If you are experiencing symptoms, you must self-isolate at home while awaiting your test results or until you meet the criteria provided in the tool if you do not require testing. You will be advised to continue self-isolation depending on your test result, your exposure, travel history and/or as directed by Public Health.
Most people with mild symptoms will recover on their own at home.
Worsening symptoms
If you develop worsening symptoms (such as worsening cough or fever):
- Call your health care provider (if applicable)
- Call Telehealth 1-866-797-0000
- If Telehealth and your health care provider are both closed/unavailable, call ahead before going to the hospital emergency department
Severe symptoms
If you have severe symptoms (such as severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, confusion, or loss of consciousness):
- Call 911
- Go to the hospital emergency department and advise them of your symptoms and travel history, if applicable
You do not need a phone assessment by Region of Waterloo Public Health to access appropriate healthcare from your health care provider or an emergency department if you are experiencing severe symptoms. Always call ahead when seeking care.
Treatment
Most people with mild symptoms will recover on their own at home.
For treatment at home you should:
- drink plenty of fluids
- get rest and sleep as much as possible
- try a humidifier or a hot shower to help with a sore throat or cough
- self-isolate
If you have any symptoms use the self-assessment tool. For schools and child care centres, use the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool. The screening tool will help determine if you need to seek care, or testing, based on your symptoms. Follow the instructions in the tool.
If you are experiencing symptoms, you must self-isolate at home while awaiting your test results or until you meet the criteria provided in the tool if you do not require testing. You will be advised to continue self-isolation depending on your test result, your exposure, travel history and/or as directed by Public Health.
If you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing other severe symptoms, call 911. Advise them of your symptoms and travel history, if applicable.
Testing
Effective immediately, Ontarians should only seek testing at assessment centres if you are:
- Showing COVID-19 symptoms
- Have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by: your public health unit, an individual who tested positive that you have been in close contact with, or exposure notification through the COVID Alert app
- Including individuals requiring a test to return to school or day care
- A resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by your local public health unit
- Eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care
- Including individuals who require testing to meet ministry guidelines (e.g. prior to a visit in a Long-Term Care home)
If you have any symptoms use the self-assessment tool. For schools and child care centres, use the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool. The screening tool will help determine if you need to seek care, or testing, based on your symptoms.
You do not need a referral from a primary care provider or Public Health to access testing. All the assessment centres take self-referrals.
Effective December 11, per provincial policy, you will no longer be able to get a publicly-funded COVID-19 test for international travel. COVID-19 tests for travellers are available through private providers for a fee. Please note: Region of Waterloo Public Health does not maintain a listing of private laboratory services.
Visit the assessment and testing centre page for more information. Use the infographic Why we test and where to go to help determine if you should make an appointment at an assessment centre or a pharmacy.
If you require urgent care, call 911 or visit the hospital emergency department and advise them of your symptoms and travel history, if applicable.
Returning travellers
The Government of Canada has put in place an Emergency Order under the Quarantine Act that applies to all travellers arriving in Canada in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. All travellers returning from destinations outside of Canada are required to self-isolate for 14 days.
Stay at home and avoid close contact with others, including others at home, for 14 days. Do not go to work, the grocery store or on walks. Exemptions may apply for certain groups, such as health care workers.
If you need groceries or other essential items, have a family member, friend or neighbour do this for you and leave items at the door, or use a delivery service.
If you have any symptoms use the self-assessment tool. For schools and child care centres, use the COVID-19 school and child care screening tool. The screening tool will help determine if you need to seek care, or testing, based on your symptoms. Follow the instructions in the tool. If you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing other severe symptoms, call 911. Advise them of your symptoms and travel history.
You may not leave your place of isolation unless it is to seek medical assistance. A negative test does not exempt you from the 14 day self-isolation period required by the Quarantine Act.
How to self-isolate
Self-isolating at home includes:
- Staying at home
- No visitors in your home unless essential (e.g. caregivers)
- Avoiding contact with others, including others in your home
- Have food brought to you
- Use a separate bedroom and bathroom, if possible
- If a separate bathroom is not an option, clean all surfaces with a disinfectant after use
- Keeping at least two metres distance between yourself and others
- Washing your hands and covering your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve
Region of Waterloo Public Health has a safe, voluntary isolation program to support individuals who are unable to isolate safely at home. Referrals can be made by community partners or Public Health. Each referral is reviewed to determine if the client is eligible for the site.
Social interactions
Waterloo Region residents should consider COVID-19 to be widely circulating in the community.
- Stay home and only go out for essential purposes such as:
- Going to work
- Going to school
- Getting groceries
- Keeping medical appointments
- Exercising outdoors
- Limit social interactions to only those within your household, which can include one or two essential supports for someone who is living alone
- Avoid all social interactions with:
- Friends
- Coworkers when not at work
- Extended family outside of your household
Visit Ontario's Province-wide Shutdown webpage for more information.
How to protect yourself
The following everyday actions can help prevent the spread of germs and viruses like COVID-19:
- Practice physical distancing between yourself and people outside your household
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Wear a face covering in enclosed public places and on transit
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Stay home when you are sick
- Sneeze and cough into your sleeve
- Avoid contact with people who are sick
Physical distancing
We encourage all residents to practice physical distancing (also known as social distancing). Physical distancing means keeping a distance of 2 metres between yourself and others when you leave your home as well as limiting the number of people you come into close, unprotected, contact with.
Only have close contact (without physical distance or face coverings) with your household members. If you live alone, you can consider having close contact with one other household you trust. You must keep 2 metres from people outside of your household.
Physical distancing includes, but is not limited to:
- Limiting non-essential trips out of your home
- Maintaining a distance of 2 metres (two arms' length) between yourself and anyone outside of your household
- Limiting group gatherings
- Connecting with family and friends by phone, video chat or social media
- Working from home where possible
- Staying home when you are sick
Members of the same household do not need to distance from each other unless they are sick or have travelled within the past 14 days.
When you leave your home, make sure to avoid crowds and keep a distance of 2 metres (two arms' length) between yourself and others at all times.
These measures help protect yourself and others in our community. We are all in this together.
Staying healthy during COVID-19
- Adults and COVID-19
- Information about healthy eating, managing stress, physical activity, pregnancy, breastfeeding and more
- Children/Teens and COVID-19
- Information about healthy eating, managing stress, physical distancing, physical activity and more
Social determinants of health
Review the presentation Initial Analysis of Socio-demographic Indicators for COVID-19 Cases for information about social determinants of health that impact the distribution of COVID-19 in Waterloo Region.
Resources
Translated resources
For more resources in translation visit the Immigration Partnership.
| How to self-isolate at home |
| Know the facts about COVID-19 |
| Physical distancing |
| Reduce the spread of COVID-19 - Wash your hands |
| School and child care screening tool |
|
For additional languages, visit COVID-19 school and child care screening tool in other languages. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Review our list of Frequently Asked Questions.
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