Sault Area Hospital screens for COVID-19 at all public entrances

The Sault Area Hospital is taking aggressive measures to screen for COVID-19.

The hospital started screening at all public entrances Tuesday, March 10.

Dr. Lucas Castellani is an infectious diseases specialist. He says people will be screened for symptoms and travel outside Canada.

"If they screen positive, meaning they have those criteria, then the first thing we do is make sure that we put a mask on them," said Castellani.

Castellani says that if it's a patient, then a decision has to be made as to whether or not they get tested right away.

"Usually it means testing," said Castellani. "And so we have to direct them through the right flow on how to get tested. If they don't meet the travel criteria then usually they have a mask placed on them and then they'll go directly to their appointment," he added.

Castellani says the hospital is strongly encouraging visitors with symptoms of infections not to come to the hospital. "We can kindly ask them to leave and return at another time when they're feeling better," he added.

Now that Sudbury has its first confirmed case of COVID-19, Castellani says the hospital may have to change its approach to how it screens people.

"Maybe not just the screening at the doors," said Castellani, adding that there may be other approaches as well in terms of how they view people at risk. "Hopefully that'll be guided a little bit more by the public health agencies," he said.

It is a lot of extra work to monitor everyone who comes into the building but Castellani says that everyone's been "quite phenomenal."

"We've had to put more resources to it, but, in truth, it's worked out very well and I think the public actually seems to be for the most part appreciative of what we're doing for their own protection, I think, and for the protection of the health care workers," said Castellani.

Castellani says he can't speak for other hospitals, but he says the triage and the screening at the doors is what the Sault Area Hospital thought best.

"Some people may argue it's aggressive but I think for the most part people have been supportive and I think it is, you know, the next step up but I think it's an important measure to try and keep everyone safe," he said.