Capital Health To Open Influenza Assessment Clinic in Windsor

NOTE: The Department of Health is issuing this release on behalf of Capital District Health Authority.

An influenza assessment clinic will open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 29, at Hants Community Hospital, Capital Health announced today, April 28.

The clinic will serve Windsor-area residents who are experiencing flu-like symptoms and wish to see a health-care professional. The clinic will alleviate congestion in the emergency department and will help prevent the spread of flu or other communicable diseases to other patients at the hospital.

People can access the influenza assessment clinic through the front doors of the Hants Community Hospital, 89 Payzant Dr., Windsor. All other hospital visitors should enter through the rear emergency entrance.

Influenza assessment clinic patients can expect to see a nurse, and, if they meet the criteria of a potential flu case, they will be tested and treated, as required.

The clinic will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until further notice.

If patient volumes increase, the clinic will move to an accessible location in the community.

There is no reason for the Windsor community to be overly concerned. The individuals affected by the illness in Nova Scotia have experienced mild symptoms and are recovering. At this point, no one has been hospitalized.

People throughout the province and country are advised to:

• General infection control practices, such as washing hands, coughing into your sleeve, and staying home when ill, can help reduce transmission of all viruses, including the human swine influenza.
• If you have recently been to the affected areas of Mexico and/or the U.S. and are exhibiting symptoms of a respiratory illness, isolate yourself, and contact a health-care professional to discuss your symptoms. Make sure to tell your health-care professional about your travel history. Residents of Windsor may go to the assessment centre.
• Public Health in Nova Scotia is encouraging all travelers going to Mexico to be vaccinated for influenza if they have not received the vaccine this influenza season (since November). The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued travel notices for the affected regions of the U.S. and Mexico. This information can be found at www.phac-aspc.gc.ca .

The Departments of Health and Health Promotion and Protection, the Capital District Health Authority and the Municipality of the District of West Hants are working together and monitoring the situation. The public will be notified of any changes.