Information for Sunnybrook patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

We are no longer screening patients and visitors for symptoms at the entrances to Sunnybrook. Please stay home if:

1. You are currently experiencing any of the following symptoms: Fever, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, decreased sense of taste or smell, vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose or nasal congestion, fatigue, muscle aches, pink eye
2. You have tested positive for COVID-19 or been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the past 10 days (including the patient you are visiting). Exposed means you spent 15 or more minutes within 6 feet of the person who has tested positive with COVID-19, and you weren’t wearing a mask.

Patients: If you are feeling ill prior to your appointment, please call the clinic or health-care provider you are seeing. They can advise on next steps.

We will also be restricting access to specific doors on all of our sites.

Bayview Campus

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

• M-Wing, First floor (main entrance) (M1)
• J-Wing, Ground Floor (JG) entrance
• H-Wing, Ground floor (HG), west entrance (enter underneath canopy) 
• T-Wing, east entrance

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

Sunnybrook’s COVID-19 Assessment Centre is now closed.

Sunnybrook’s COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic is now closed.

Veterans Centre & palliative care unit (Bayview Campus)

All other sites

For all other sites (the Holland Centre, St. John’s Rehab and the Reactivation Care Centre), patients will no longer be screened at the main entrances of each of these sites. There are no access restrictions to the main entrances for all of these locations.

All patients who have a confirmed in-person appointment at the hospital will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival to their appointment.

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

View more information about Sunnybrook's visitor policy during COVID-19.

Please note, we are also be restricting access to specific doors on all of our sites.

Patients can only access our Bayview Campus using the below entrances:

• M-wing, first floor (main entrance) (M1)
• J-Wing, ground floor (JG) entrance
• H-Wing, ground floor, west entrance (HG) - enter underneath canopy
• T-Wing, east entrance

» View map of entrances

For all other sites (the Holland Centre, St. John’s Rehab and the Reactivation Care Centre), access is restricted to the main entrance.

» View information about virtual care appointments at Sunnybrook

Sunnybrook requires everyone entering the hospital to wear a mask.

Patients/visitors who are coming to the hospital for appointments can access masks at kiosks located at all hospital entrances.

Hospital in-patients will be provided with masks by their care team.

Masks can help prevent the spread of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, when important measures such as physical distancing are not possible.

» View information about properly and safely wearing a mask

View more information about Sunnybrook's visitor policy during COVID-19.

Sunnybrook is safe and remains open to our patients. If you have any questions about your specific situation, please contact your health-care provider directly for more information.

Sunnybrook is safe and remains open to our patients. If you have any questions about your specific situation, please contact your health-care provider directly for more information.

Throughout the pandemic, the hospital may need to implement service reductions at times in order to be able to care for patients that require urgent and emergency care. If your surgery is impacted by service changes, a member of your health-care team will contact you. Your surgeon's office will contact you as soon as your surgery can be rescheduled. If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please contact your surgeon’s office.

We understand this is not an ideal situation, and we appreciate your understanding during this time.

For your health, and for the safety of staff, we want to ensure you minimize your chance of getting COVID-19 in the time leading up to your surgery, procedure or treatment at the hospital. Please visit the resources below for instructions and information to help minimize your risk:

» Information for patients scheduled for surgery or a procedure at Sunnybrook

» Information for cancer patients starting new treatment

No, it’s no longer required for you to get a COVID-19 test before your surgery. Please visit the resources below for instructions and information to help minimize your risk:

» View all information for patients scheduled for surgery or a procedure at Sunnybrook

For your health, and for the safety of staff, we want to ensure you minimize your chance of getting COVID-19 in the time leading up to your procedure or surgery. Please follow the instructions below to help you minimize your risk.

If you are a cancer patient starting new treatment, please visit our resource for cancer patients.

Hygiene

• Wash your hands often for at least 15 seconds
• Disinfect commonly touched surfaces

Monitor symptoms

Immediately notify your surgeon if you or your household or close contacts develop any COVID-19 symptoms, or are diagnosed with COVID-19.

Day of procedure or surgery

• Your belongings will be kept in a locker during your surgery
• Self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19
• Wear a mask
• Wear a mask if taking public transportation

Belongings

Do not bring valuables to the hospital.

If you are going home the day of surgery, your belongings will be placed in an individual locker. Your belongings will be returned to you once you arrive on the post-operative unit after surgery.

If you are being admitted to the hospital after surgery, your belongings will be placed in a tagged bag, which is then placed in a secure locker area. After surgery, a patient service partner will deliver your belongings to you on your post-operative unit.

Visitors

In order to ensure the safety of our patients and staff, Sunnybrook is limiting the number of visitors in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

» Information for cancer patients starting new treatment

Yes. Our Emergency Department is open and safe for patients. Please note that due to COVID-19, visitor and companion restrictions are in place in our Emergency Department. View visitor and companion guidelines »

Virtual Emergency Department

If you are age 16+ and experiencing an urgent but non-life threatening medical concern, you can now book a same-day virtual appointment with a Sunnybrook Emergency Department doctor, Monday to Friday. Learn more »

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.

Yes, you can pick up your prescription at the pharmacies. Curbside pick-up may also be available to you. Please speak to a pharmacy staff member about this option.

Restaurants and other food services are available at Sunnybrook. Some retailers are operating on reduced hours, and others are closed for the time being. Please visit our food services web page to learn more about what's open, closed, and for hours of operation. 

While not back to pre-pandemic activity levels, volunteers have gradually returned to specific roles at the hospital based on need for support and under the guidance of our Infection Prevention and Control team. We are pleased to have more than 500 individuals sharing their time to assist patients and visitors and support our staff.

Recruitment for specific roles is ongoing; opportunities to volunteer depend on individual interests, skills, availability and the hospital’s need for support. All volunteers are required to have received the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine or combination of COVID-19 vaccines approved by Health Canada, and having received the final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before returning to the hospital to volunteer. All volunteers are also required to receive orientation and training to ensure the health and safety of all.

At Sunnybrook, we strongly encourage all staff to remain up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. All new hires at Sunnybrook must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Our organization is not permitted to share the individual vaccination information of our staff. If you have further questions about the safety measures we have put in place, please feel free to discuss them with the unit/location manager.

Like all hospitals across Ontario, we are continuing to manage through significant staffing challenges to ensure we are able to provide care when our patients need us most.

We are now testing all patients for COVID-19 upon their admission to the hospital, because of the high rates of transmission of COVID in the community.

If you decline to be tested for COVID-19 when being admitted to the hospital, we may manage your care within our current COVID-19 protocols:

• You may be managed on additional precautions. This means that staff and your visitors will need to wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as eye protection, gown and gloves for all interactions with you, in addition to the mask they wear when interacting with all patients
• Appointments may be scheduled at the end of the day to accommodate additional cleaning after your visit

» View Sunnybrook's visitor policy during the COVID-19 pandemic

» View information about continued COVID-19 recovery at home