TIMMINS — As testing opens up for anyone to be tested for COVID-19, Porcupine Health Unit's medical officer of health wants people to understand what a negative test does and doesn't mean.
“It’s really important to remember that testing is only good for the day that you were tested," said Dr. Lianne Catton in a Wednesday health roundtable.
"The testing results being negative may be reassuring and we understand why that would be reassuring for individuals who are tested. You need to keep in mind that it only tells you about that actual day you were tested. It doesn’t tell you about previous infections, it does not tell you that you cannot be infected or that you’re not incubating illness the day after or three days after or four days after."
A negative test, she said, doesn't remove people from following public health measures to prevent the spread of the illness.
People are still encouraged to only go out for essential trips, to wash their hands frequently, to stay physically distanced when outside the home, and to consider wearing a face mask when maintaining the two-metre spacing isn't possible.
As COVID-19 restrictions loosen across the province, she continues to urge caution.
In the region, it's been 16 days since the last postive test was reported.
To date, there have been 65 confirmed cases of the virus. Of those, 56 are resolved and seven people have died. The health unit is following two known active cases.
“I simply cannot caution enough that it’s not time to let our guard down, that we don’t know for certain yet where we’re at,” said Catton.
She's encouraging people to stay committed to the infection prevention and public health measures.
"We can’t forget the hard work that has led to this reduction in cases, that has led to reduced spread and we need to continue with that commitment. We need to maintain our ongoing precautions in order to make sure that we are limiting the numbers of potential COVID-19 infections, that we are acting in a manner that still considers exposure to be possible and probable throughout our communities and that we continue to work hard and support one another to prevent tragic outcomes,” she said.
The health unit continues to offer assessment centres in seven communities.
While there was an uptick in the number of people calling for tests after the northern surveillance project launched April 12, Catton said there has been a decrease in the number of people calling over the last couple weeks.
To be tested locally, people are still being asked to call their primary health care provider or the health unit first to be referred to the appropriate testing centre.
Catton said people won't be denied testing, but will still be asked questions about symptoms.
Having appointments at the centres allow staff to ensure there isn't crowding and to appropriately space out appointments.
With the restrictions just easing for some businesses to re-open, she said at least two weeks, if not more, is needed to determine those impacts.
Reports of confirmed cases in Northern Ontario have slowed recently.
Local leaders aren't supportive of regionalizing the province and having different rules for specific areas, though.
Catton noted as restrictions lessen, people will consider travelling to areas with a greater number of cases. The health unit doesn't know the impact that will have on local risk as people return home.
Timmins Mayor George Pirie added that regionalizing would mean travel restrictions, which he doesn't want.
“The trade between the north and the south, I don’t how we would survive up here without the free flow of goods back and forth,” he said.
