COVID-19 Information for Health Care Providers
The information on this page is for health professionals. If you are looking for health information for community members visit COVID-19.
Visit Ontario’s COVID-19 health sector guidance for the provincial guidance on COVID-19.
Visit the Integrated Respiratory Disease Surveillance Report for an overview of respiratory virus activity in Waterloo Region.
On this page:
Testing and treatment
Visit Ontario's COVID-19 testing and treatment page for eligibility information and access to tests and antiviral treatments.
Rapid Antigen Tests
Health care providers can order free rapid antigen tests for eligible patients and their employees as part of the Provincial Antigen Screening Program Agreement (PASP). Visit the PASP website for more information or to enroll.
Testing and treatment resources
- Test Information Index: Respiratory Viruses (Public Health Ontario)
- COVID-19 Clinical Guidelines and Resources (Ontario Health)
Ordering outbreak supplies (tests, PPE)
Health care providers, long-term care, retirement homes and other congregate living settings can order COVID-19 tests, nasopharyngeal swab kits and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) through the PPE Supply Portal.
To order nasopharyngeal swab collection kits, complete and submit the Requisition for Specimen Containers and Supplies and then submit your order through the PPE Supply Portal.
If you have questions about ordering, refer to PPE Supply Portal - FAQs.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC)
For general infection prevention and control (IPAC) and outbreak management information, visit our IPAC information page.
Visit Public Health Ontario for information about Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for COVID-19 Prevention.
Outbreak information for long-term care homes, retirement homes and congregate living settings
Visit Managing respiratory and gastrointestinal outbreaks for resources and reporting information.
COVID-19 vaccines
Visit the Vaccine Information for Health Care Providers page for general vaccine information, including Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) instructions.
To be eligible to participate in the COVID-19 vaccine program, you must be a health care provider in Waterloo Region. Email vaccine@regionofwaterloo.ca for more information.
Ordering COVID-19 vaccines and supplies
Orders for vaccines must be submitted using the Online Vaccine Inventory System. To access the system, staff will need to register using a unique invite code provided by Public Health. If you do not yet have an account, email vaccine@regionofwaterloo.ca.
Order requests must be submitted no later than 48 hours before your clinic start. For Monday delivery, the order must be submitted by noon on Thursday. For Tuesday delivery, the order must be submitted by noon on Friday. Medical Services Courier will deliver your vaccines between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. Deliveries will not occur on weekends.
If you find yourself in a situation where you require a last-minute delivery, Public Health will try to accommodate, where possible. If last-minute deliveries are needed, email vaccine@regionofwaterloo.ca. Emails are answered Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
COVID-19 vaccine storage and handling
- Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines Storage and Handling (Ontario Ministry of Health)
- Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines Storage and Handling (Ontario Ministry of Health)
Panorama Guided Workflow
Panorama Guided Workflow (PGW) is a simplified system that health care providers can use to
- manage COVID-19 vaccine inventory
- report vaccine doses administered
- support clinical decision-making and patient care
Client records will include read-only information about other immunizations reported to their public health unit.
PGW is available through Ontario Health's ONE Health platform. To access PGW, you need a registered ONE ID account and must log in using the Ontario Health ONE Health portal.
For questions related to ONE ID onboarding, active ONE ID agreements, or any other ONE ID-related issues:
- call the Ontario Health Digital Services Support Line: 1-866-250-1554, available 24/7
- email OH-servicedesk@ontariohealth.ca
For general questions about Panorama Guided Workflow, email PanoramaGuidedWorkflow@ontario.ca
Pharmacies experiencing vaccine inventory suspension issues can email the Ministry of Health at vaccinesupplyandlogistics@ontario.ca
Additional resources
- COVID-19 Vaccine: Canadian Immunization Guide (Government of Canada)
- COVID-19: For health professionals (Government of Canada)
- COVID-19 Health Care Resources (Public Health Ontario)
- Mental Health Resources for Health Care Workers (CAMH)
