Michael Garron Hospital taking proactive, innovative measures to prepare for respiratory illness season

At Michael Garron Hospital (MGH), the health and safety of our community is our top priority.

The hospital is taking proactive and innovative measures to help ensure it can continue to provide safe, timely and high-quality care to the East Toronto community during this upcoming respiratory illness season.

These measures include:

• Temporarily expanding urgent care spaces, including the Stavro Emergency Department (ED) and Child and Youth Emergency Zone. This includes the installation of a modular unit near the ED on Mortimer Avenue.
• Increasing staffing in specific departments and repurposing existing spaces for the temporary provision of patient care, where possible and appropriate.
• Identifying opportunities to optimize efficiencies related to patient flow, transitions and discharges, where possible and appropriate.

Like many other hospitals and healthcare organizations across Ontario, MGH has been operating at or beyond capacity due to existing pressures related to demand and capacity across the health system.

The Ontario Government and health experts predict this fall and winter will be especially challenging due to an anticipated circulation of flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 cases.

Combined with existing pressures, this creates additional strain on the health system which MGH is aiming to address with these measures.

How community members can help

Given current and anticipated health system pressures, patients may experience longer than usual wait times for various services at MGH, including in the ED.

If you think you may need care in our ED, we encourage you to review our ED page, if possible, to help ensure you come prepared and that our teams are able to support you as safely and quickly as possible.

In addition, there are a number of ways community members can help ensure a safe and healthy respiratory illness season for themselves and their loved ones.

Get the updated COVID-19 vaccine

Starting today (October 10), Toronto Public Health (TPH) is offering the updated COVID-19 vaccine to high-risk individuals who are aged six months and older and it has been at least six months since their last COVID-19 dose or infection (whichever is longer).

The updated COVID-19 vaccine better protects against the new Omicron XBB variant.

High-risk individuals include:

• Residents and staff in congregate settings 
• People aged 65 and older
• Pregnant people
• Children aged six months to four years
• People who are from a First Nation, Inuit or Métis community and/or who self-identify as First Nation, Inuit or Métis and their household members
• Members of racialized and other equity-deserving communities
• People with chronic underlying health conditions

TPH will offer the updated COVID-19 vaccine to the general population starting October 31.

Get the updated COVID-19 vaccine at TPH clinics and other clinics found at Ontario.ca/bookvaccine.

Homebound vaccinations for the updated COVID-19 vaccine are also available for specific eligible individuals. Learn more about TPH’s Homebound Vaccination Program.

All individuals aged six months and older are encouraged to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is available to them and it has been at least six months since their last COVID-19 dose or infection (whichever is longer).

Get the flu vaccine

Starting October 25, the general population can book one appointment to get the flu vaccine and updated COVID-19 vaccine at the same time at a TPH clinic. Appointments take place starting October 31.

Flu vaccines will also be available to high-risk individuals (see above) at participating pharmacies before October 31. Please contact your local pharmacy to confirm availability.

Flu vaccines will also be available at family doctor offices starting October 31.

All individuals aged six months and older are encouraged to get the flu vaccine as soon as it is available to them.

It is safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine at the same time or around the same time.

Consider care options in the community, when possible

If you have an urgent but non-life threatening health issue, we encourage you to contact your family doctor, nurse practitioner or other primary care provider.

Where possible and appropriate, we also encourage you to visit urgent care centres and walk-in clinics in East Toronto. See other places to get care in East Toronto.

Wear a mask where needed

While masking is no longer mandatory in many public settings, we encourage community members to consider wearing a mask in places where the risk of respiratory illness infection may be high, especially indoor crowded spaces.

Masking continues to be required for MGH staff when providing direct patient care. Patients and visitors at MGH must wear a mask in shared patient care spaces (e.g. dialysis, cancer treatment room and rehabilitation rooms) and in the ED.

Stay home if you’re sick

TPH recommends that if you feel sick or have symptoms of an infection, you should stay home until you have no fever and your symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours for gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and/or diarrhea).

This includes if you have any cold or flu symptoms, including fever, sore throat, cough and runny nose.

If you feel sick, you should take the Ontario Government’s COVID-19 Self-Assessment for recommendations on what to do next. This may include seeking testing or treatment. Learn more on the Ontario Government’s website or TPH’s website.

If you’re feeling sick or have symptoms of COVID-19, you can also keep your loved ones safe by testing for COVID-19. TPH is offering free rapid antigen tests at specific locations.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep yourself, your loved ones and your community safe this respiratory illness season. We appreciate your kindness and patience as our team does their best to provide care for patients as safely and quickly as possible.