The emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is straining Ottawa Public Health’s contact tracing efforts and residents are now being urged to contact their close contacts themselves.
Medical Officer of Health Dr Vera Etches released a statement on Monday evening saying there was a backlog in the case and contact management system, meaning there could be a delay in making contact with people who test positive and their close contacts.
OPH is now asking for the public’s help.
“To address this backlog of cases, Ottawa Public Health is asking those who test positive for COVID-19 to self-isolate and immediately notify your high-risk contacts of your positive COVID-19 status. -19, as there may be a delay Health contacts you,” the statement read. “If a close contact tells you they have tested positive, please book a COVID-19 test immediately, even if you are fully vaccinated – do not wait for Ottawa Public Health to contact you.”
According to the Ottawa COVID-19 Testing Task Force, the average time from when a swab is taken at a testing site to the result is 37 hours. OPH says contact tracing can take several days.
“OPH typically contacts individuals who receive a lab-confirmed positive result within 48 hours of testing,” an OPH spokesperson told CTV News Ottawa in an email last week.
“Note that during an outbreak period, some delays beyond the usual 48-hour notification period occur. During an outbreak, our testing partners, labs, and notification systems also handle high volumes for process the tests. After an individual develops symptoms, it takes some time to get tested and receive the test results. It then takes time for OPH to determine who was exposed to the person who tested positive and to inform these contacts.
Don’t wait for symptoms to improve
OPH is also asking anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 to get tested immediately, regardless of their vaccination status.
“If you have symptoms of COVID-19, don’t wait a day or two to see if your symptoms improve, book a COVID-19 test immediately and self-isolate until you have your results, even if you’re vaccinated,” Etches said.
Residents are urged to maintain pandemic control measures, including regular use of masks, physical distancing and limiting close contact.
OPH also says that if you need to isolate yourself from household members, you can stay in a separate room or stay in an isolation center until symptoms improve and it’s been at least 10 days since onset. symptoms (or since the test is positive if you have no symptoms), or until Ottawa Public Health informs you that you can stop self-isolating.
For more information on staying in an isolation center, please call 613-580-2424 ext. 25890 or email OPHisolationcentre@ottawa.ca.
Efforts continue to vaccinate residents. On Monday, as the provincial portal opened appointments for third doses for eligible residents age 50 and older, OPH said local appointments were full through January. The health unit then said Monday evening that 5,200 new appointments had been added.
To date, 83% of Ottawa’s population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 78% of the population is fully vaccinated. More than 83,000 residents received a third dose.
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