COVID-19 Testing, Treatment and Infection Prevention and Control

See COVID-19 information for health care professionals to learn about COVID-19 vaccination and other topics.

You can also review our medical advisories and memos for the latest health alerts (COVID and non-COVID related).

COVID-19 testing

Publicly funded PCR testing for eligible individuals remains available at select locations in Niagara. If you are referring patients to one of these locations, advise them to wear a well-fitted mask in all indoor spaces and outdoors if physical distancing cannot be maintained.

If the patient has to use public transit or taxi services, encourage mask use for the duration of the trip, keep the passenger window down (if weather permits) and perform hand hygiene before and after travel.

For COVID-19 PCR testing forms and instructions, see Public Health Ontario's test information index.

  • Ordering rapid antigen tests (RATs)

    Health care providers are invited to order and distribute RATs to patients on a voluntary basis, while provincial supplies last and before their expiry. The distribution of RATs to patients is voluntary and will not be reimbursed by the Government of Ontario (no billing codes).

    • The ordering pathway for health care providers already enrolled in the Provincial Antigen Screening Program (PASP) who intend to distribute RATs to employees and / or patients will continue through the PPE Supply Portal
    • Health care providers who are not currently enrolled in PASP and who would like to distribute RATs to their employees and / or patients may enrol via the Ontario Together Portal and order through the PPE Supply Portal

COVID-19 treatment

There are two antiviral medications available for treatment of COVID-19:

  • Oral nirmatrelvir / ritonavir (Paxlovid™)
  • Intravenous remdesivir (Veklury®)

For these treatments to be effective, they must be administered early in the course of illness (for nirmatrelvir / ritonavir - within five days of symptom onset and for Remdesivir - within seven days of symptom onset). See Ontario Health's recommendations, clinical guidance and resources on the use of COVID-19 treatments.

Health care providers are encouraged to discuss treatment options with high-risk patients before they get sick and create a plan to ensure patients get the appropriate therapeutic within the treatment window. Learn how to access antiviral therapy for COVID-19 in the community.

Infection prevention and control (IPAC)

Routine practices are required for all clinical interactions, independent of any concern for the possibility of COVID-19 or other infectious diseases, and therefore remain important regardless of the respiratory virus transmission risk.

For additional precautions and recommendations specific to COVID-19, see IPAC Recommendations for Use of Personal Protective Equipment for Care of Individuals with Suspect or Confirmed COVID-19.

  • Additional precautions are required regardless of the respiratory virus epidemiology or risk period.
  • Public Health Ontario has also developed a checklist for IPAC key principles for clinical office practice during the COVID-19 pandemic
See Public Health Ontario's technical brief for guidance on IPAC measures based on respiratory virus transmission in health care settings.

More information

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