Please plan to attend your appointment, procedure or surgery as scheduled unless you are otherwise notified.
Pre-operative patients required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID test
With rising COVID cases in the community, St. Joe’s is resuming COVID-19 testing for specific asymptomatic pre-operative patients. Starting September 6, 2021, the following patient groups will be required to show proof of full vaccination at their pre-operative appointment:
- All Elective Surgeries having or potentially having general anesthesia;
- All elective patients being admitted after surgery who have an artificial airway (tracheostomy, Laryngectomy) or will/may need to use a CPAP, BiPAP while admitted;
- All endoscopy patients having an EBUS, EUS or Bronchoscopy procedure.
Elective unvaccinated individuals must be COVID-tested 48 to 72 hours prior to their surgery/procedure and have a negative COVID test. The Pre-Assessment Unit (PAAU) will either do the COVID test at time of the pre-operative appointment or schedule the patient to have it done within the correct window.
Elective surgeries will be postponed for unvaccinated individuals without a negative COVID test or patients that fail to provide validation of full vaccination. Emergent and urgent surgeries will also need to be tested, but may proceed without a COVID test based on surgical priority.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Patient Relations team at PatientRelations@stjoes.ca.