As a health care organization, it is our responsibility to do everything we can to protect our patients, staff, and community. Throughout the pandemic, Oak Valley Health has put measures in place to protect patients seeking care at our hospital.
Vaccines are safe and effective, and are our best defense against the COVID-19 virus. As such, we have mandated that everyone who works at our organization, except those with an approved medical or human rights exemption, must be fully vaccinated by October 31, 2021.
To ensure the safest possible environment for our patients to receive care, proof of full COVID-19 vaccination will be required for all individuals seeking to visit a patient at Oak Valley Health hospitals – Markham Stouffville Hospital and Uxbridge Hospital.
Oak Valley Health is one of the 15 hospitals in the Central Region of Ontario to be implementing mandatory vaccination policies for visitors. For more information, please read the joint statement from the Central Region Hospital Chief Executive Officers and Chiefs of Staff.
This new visitor vaccination requirement will be effective on November 15, 2021. Further details on the policy will be shared in the coming weeks. However, it is important to note that there will be limited exemptions. Oak Valley Health will not be accepting proof of negative PCR or rapid antigen tests in place of COVID-19 vaccination records for entry at our hospitals.
Because of the proven effectiveness of the vaccine against the virus and its variants, we encourage everyone who is eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Oak Valley Health offers vaccinations at our Markham Stouffville Hospital, by appointment and walk-in.
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