Public Health Investigation Update for St. George’s-Stephenville-Port au Port Area
Western Health is providing an update about the public health investigation in the St. George’s-Stephenville-Port au Port Area.
We thank area residents for their excellent response to the request for voluntary asymptomatic testing. More than 1,500 COVID-19 tests have been completed in the area since the investigation began. At this point all people recently identified as positive in the Stephenville area have been linked. The case identified on May 27 in the Western region remains under investigation and asymptomatic testing in the Stephenville area will continue.
Western Health has also identified individuals with COVID-19 in the St. George’s area that are not linked to the current Stephenville area cluster. In order to assess for community transmission in the St. George’s area, Western Health will open a new temporary testing site in St. George’s on Friday, June 4.
Western Health is now encouraging residents of St. George’s, Barachois Brook, Shallop Cove, Flat Bay, St. Theresa’s, and Journois to access COVID-19 testing whether or not they are symptomatic. We encourage people between the ages of 12 and 40, in particular, to be tested.
As Western Health has been seeing infections in people who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19, we are strongly encouraging all residents to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Individuals over 12 years can book an appointment here. There are vaccine appointments available in Stephenville on June 3, Lourdes on June 4, and Stephenville on June 6. In St. George’s on June 5, there is a walk in vaccination clinic at the St. Joseph’s Parish Hall from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To arrange testing, individuals are asked to complete the online self-assessment and referral tool available here or call 811. When asked do you require a COVID-19 test as a result of an advisory from Public Health (e.g. a flight or public place connected to a COVID-19 case, please select “YES.” When entering your demographics, please answer “YES” to the question “are you involved in the St. George’s Investigation?”
Following the completion of the online self assessment or call to 811, residents will be contacted to book an appointment time. Testing will be available on Friday and Saturday at a temporary drive up testing site at the SiKi Bennett Memorial Stadium in St. George’s.
All individuals with symptoms are advised to isolate. Individual who do not have symptoms do not need to isolate unless they have been advised to do so by public health.
Everyone is reminded to follow public health measures including wearing masks, staying home when sick and supporting employees to do the same, practicing good hand hygiene, staying home as much as possible unless necessary for work and other essential activities, and following provincial public health requirements and recommendations.