Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) announced today that all non-essential public-facing programs and activities offered by the public health unit are being placed on hold until further notice. All public health offices will be closed to the public at 4:30 pm today. Plans are being put in place to continue with essential services through other mechanisms such as telephone, email, social media, etc. These changes will allow HPEPH staff to be temporarily reassigned to respond to COVID-19 inquiries and operational demands. The HPEPH response to COVID-19 includes ongoing community monitoring, providing up-to-date information to the public and health care providers (including dedicated COVID-19 phone lines), responding to community inquiries, and providing infection control support to the community.
“We recognize that many individuals rely on public health services to improve their quality of life, and we are committed to finding alternate ways to deliver as many of these services as possible,” says Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH. “We are prioritizing our response to COVID-19, encouraging social distancing, and ensuring our staff are available to respond to immediate community needs.”
The HPEPH website hpePublicHealth.ca and social media accounts will be updated regularly as new information becomes available. Residents are encouraged to check back often for the latest information on programs and services.
If you are not able to find answers to your questions regarding programs and services online, please dial 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803 and use one of the following extensions to make specific inquiries. Callers may have to wait for their call to be answered due to high call volumes. These extensions are answered by public health staff Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm only.
Child and Reproductive Health CARELine – ext. 223
Communicable Disease Intake Line – ext. 349
Healthy Babies Healthy Children – ext. 269
Healthy Communities – ext. 610
Healthy Environments – ext. 677
Immunization Records and TB Testing – ext. 221
Needle Exchange Program – ext. 620
Oral Health and Vision – ext. 680
Sexual Health Intake Line – ext. 418
Tobacco Talk Line – ext. 600
The COVID-19 phone lines continue to be open seven days a week for individuals who are unable to find their answers on our COVID-19 web page. Updates will be also be posted to our Facebook Page, Twitter @hpePublicHealth.
(Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Press Release)
