COVID-19 – Update - March 18, 2020

The College has been monitoring the COVID-19 Pandemic.  We are here to provide support during this unprecedent time. 

Occupational therapists are obligated to provide safe, effective and ethical care.  We ask that occupational therapists continue to use your professional judgement to determine how your services can be provided in these difficult times.  College resources, including our Code of Ethics, are available here to assist in your decision making process.

The information provided from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (March 11th) indicated a protocol (intake/triage screening tool) for clinicians working with clients.  This document was distributed to all registrants via email and is also available here.

To support the social distancing (2 metres) requirement and if the clinical situation allows, utilize tele-practice (e.g. client interaction via phone/video conferencing) to work with clients.  Occupational therapists are still required to ensure that all standards of practice are met when using tele-practice systems and to ensure that clients have provided informed consent to participate in this process.

Occupational therapists are required to continue with standard infection prevention and control precautions in your practice as you would for other respiratory illness.  Additional information on these precautions is available in the links below:

Up-to-date, accurate resources:

  1. Nova Scotia Health Authority  http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/coronavirus 
  2. Nova Scotia Coronavirus  https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/ 
  3. Government of Canada  https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html