COVID-19 (coronavirus): Information & frequently asked questions

In order to ensure the safety of our patients and staff, there will be no visitors permitted at Sunnybrook during the COVID-19 pandemic, until further notice. This includes family members or companions accompanying patients to appointments or procedures. We understand that this is a difficult change for those with loved ones who need to be in the hospital, but it is an important precaution being put in place to ensure the safety of all those at Sunnybrook, including our sickest and most vulnerable patients.

Some exceptions will be allowed in certain areas of the hospital. If an exception below is met, only one visitor will be allowed per patient. To protect our patients and staff, these visitors will not be permitted into the hospital if they have symptoms of illness.

• Parent of a baby in the NICU: One parent may be with their baby at all times, including overnight, provided the parent is asymptomatic
• Birthing partner of a woman in labour
• Visitor for an imminently dying patient (i.e. expected within 48 hours)
• Patient with mental health condition or physical disability who requires an attendant or support person
• Patients rushed into the ED (trauma, stroke, etc.) will be permitted one accompanying visitor

We are screening all patients for symptoms at the door. We will also be restricting access to specific doors on all of our sites.

If you are feeling any of the below symptoms prior to your appointment, please call the clinic or health-care provider you are seeing. They can advise on next steps.

• Fever
• Cough
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Bayview Campus

Patients are only be able to access our Bayview Campus using the below entrances:

• M-Wing, First floor (main entrance) (M1)
• D-Wing, Ground floor (DG)
• T-Wing, east entrance

(Click map to view a larger version)

Our Emergency Department entrance is also open for those who are coming to Sunnybrook for emergency care.

COVID-19 Assessment Centre

Patients who are going to our COVID-19 Assessment Centre must only enter Sunnybrook through our U-Wing entrance. More information.

Veterans Centre & palliative care unit (Bayview Campus)

For information about entry restrictions for our Veterans Centre and palliative care unit, please visit this page.

All other sites

For all other sites (the Holland Centre, St. John’s Rehab and the Reactivation Care Centre), screening will begin this week at the main entrances of each of these sites. Access will be restricted to the main entrance for all of these locations.

While we have restricted visitors to the hospital, we want to ensure that you stay connected with your loved one who is in the hospital during this time.

Below are are some ways you can stay connected.

Telephone calls:

There are no fees for local calls on bedside phones.

FaceTime or Google Hangouts:

If your loved one does not have their own device, let the care team know. We can help set up a “visit” on an iPad or Android that is carefully cleaned between uses.

Gift shop delivery:

Sunnybrook Gift Shop is open and it delivers to patient rooms at our Bayview Campus and Holland Centre. Send your loved one something to let them know you are thinking of them (ear buds and phone chargers are also available). 

Other:

There are other programs in development. Please check back here for updates.

Sunnybrook is safe for patients and staff, and the hospital remains open. However, Sunnybrook has taken some precautionary steps to reduce the number of people in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include:

• Encouraging virtual health-care visits whenever possible
• Cancelling non-urgent visits to the hospital
• Screening for symptoms at hospital entrances
• Restricting visitors at all Sunnybrook campuses

In order to reduce the number of people in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are encouraging our health-care workers to have virtual visits with their patients, and to cancel any non-urgent visits.

If you have an upcoming appointment and are feeling unwell, please call your health-care provider ahead of your visit.

If you have any questions about your upcoming appointment or procedure, please contact your health-care provider’s office directly.

While Sunnybrook is safe and remains open to our patients, we are taking some precautionary steps during the COVID-19 pandemic to help limit the number of people in the hospital during this time. This includes the cancellation of any non-urgent visits to the hospital.

If you have any questions about your specific situation, please contact your health-care provider directly for more information.

All non-urgent medical imaging appointments before May 1, 2020 will be cancelled and rescheduled at a later date once the current situation stabilizes. Our medical imaging team will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled. If you are called, please disregard your original appointment information in MyChart.

The Ontario Ministry of Health has asked Ontario hospitals to ramp down elective surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision has been made by the government to help maximize hospital resources, and prioritize services.

An elective surgery is a surgery that is planned in advance and is not a medical emergency.

Sunnybrook is following these guidelines, and will be postponing surgeries that may be done safely at a later time. All decisions to postpone surgeries have been made with careful consideration, in consultation with each patient’s health-care team. Surgeries will only be postponed if deemed medically safe.

A member of your health-care team will contact you if you surgery date is affected by these changes.

We understand this is not an ideal situation, and we appreciate your understanding during this time. If you have any questions about your upcoming surgery, please talk to your health-care provider directly for more information.

We are experiencing a high volume of phone calls. We understand that this is frustrating at this uncertain time. Thank you for your patience as our staff work to answer questions and re-book appointments.

You can still pick up your prescription at the pharmacies. Please note you will be screened at the door for symptoms.

You may see signage or tape on seats in waiting and dining spaces across the hospital. These restrictions have been put in place in common areas to signal physical distancing among patients.

In order to ensure the safety of our volunteers, patients, and staff, and in line with “physical distancing” guidelines, the hospital has made the decision to cancel all volunteer activities and roles at all hospital sites until further notice.

No. It is not necessary to wear a mask unless your health-care provider has recommended this or unless you have respiratory symptoms such as a cough or cold when you are coming to your appointment.

We need to conserve this equipment and ensure we have enough of it for front-line staff. Ensuring that doctors, nurses, and other front-line staff have the appropriate equipment while treating patients with COVID-19 reduces the spread of this infection and allows them to keep working to keep all of us safe.