Updated as of January 18, 2022.
Bluewater Health’s infection prevention and control protocols are in place at all times and are currently heightened with screening points for all patients, visitors, staff and physicians due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals are reminded to please continue to monitor their own health, wear a mask, practice proper hand hygiene often, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth, and to practice physical distancing.
A hospital-issued mask will be provided to you. You will be expected to use this mask to cover your nose, mouth and chin for the duration of your time in the hospital, unless your provider asks you to remove it. The hospital-issued masks meet current guidelines for masking to prevent COVID transmission.
The Bluewater Health emergency department is not a COVID-19 assessment centre. For information on asymptomatic and symptomatic testing please see Lambton Public Health's website. Please visit the emergency department if you are experiencing severe symptoms.
Visitors at Sarnia and Petrolia Bluewater Health Locations
Intraprovincial Transfer Welcome Package
Bluewater Health continues to have restrictions in place for visiting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, limited designated care partners are permitted scheduled visits with inpatients. Care partners are contacted by the hospital once identified by the patient. Please see our Virtual Visit Request Form to schedule a virtual visit with a loved one in hospital.
Bluewater Health COVID-19- Patients currently in hospital (as of January 18, 2022).
| Patients currently in hospital with confirmed COVID-19 | 59 |
| Patients currently in the ICU, COVID-19 positive | 10 |
| Patients currently in hospital with tests pending for COVID-19 *Includes pre-surgical screening |
42 |
| Total patient deceased from COVID 19 | 83 |
Lambton Vaccination (age 18+)
| *Vaccinated | *Partially/Unvaccinated | |
| General Population | 90,270 | 18,320 |
| COVID-19 Hospitalization | 39 | 20 |
|
*Fully vaccinated is defined as 14 days or more after receipt of the second dose of a 2-dose series COVID-19 vaccine. *Partially vaccinated is defined as 14 days or more after the first dose of a 2-dose series COVID-19 vaccine, or between 0-13 days after administration of the second dose *Unvaccinated is defined as not having any dose or between 0-13 days after administration of the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. |
For information on Sarnia-Lambton community cases, please see the Lambton Public Health website.
For information on Sarnia-Lambton assessment centres, please see the Lambton Public Health website.
To check dose eligibility, book an appointment, and get answers to your COVID-19 vaccine questions, see Lambton Public Health's website.
Designated Care Partner Policy Changes at Sarnia & Petrolia Emergency Departments Dec 30, 2021
Bluewater Health Accepting COVID-Positive Patients from Manitoba
Outbreak on Bluewater Health Medicine Unit Declared Over
Surgeries and Procedures Resume Gradually at Bluewater Health
COVID-19 Outbreak Declared on Bluewater Health Medicine Unit
Bluewater Health Ramping Down, Postponing Some Surgeries Starting April 12
Bluewater Health to Reduce Visitor Restrictions as COVID-19 Cases Decline
Bluewater Health Declares End to Outbreak Over on Medicine Units
Vaccination for High-Risk Hospital Workers Begins
Bluewater Health Declares Outbreak on Medicine Units
COVID-19 Outbreak at Bluewater Health Declared Over
COVID-19 Outbreak Declared in Bluewater Health’s Medicine Unit
Health Partners Team Up in Battle against COVID-19
Bluewater Health Pausing Select Procedures Effective January 11
Bluewater Health Reinstates Visitor Restrictions as COVID-19 Cases Rise in Community
COVID-19 Vaccination Planning
Support for Lockdown Measures
Healthcare Community Asks for Continued Vigilance in Face of COVID-19
Bluewater Health Participating in Nationwide COVID Treatment Study
Updates to COVID-19 Testing for Sarnia-Lambton
Pandemic Postponements - Bluewater Health Urges Patience On Rescheduling
Family Care Partners Welcome Amidst COVID Visitor Restrictions
Migrant Worker COVID Testing in Sarnia-Lambton Set to Begin
Bluewater Health Field Hospital Dismantled
Bluewater Health Reaches Important Milestone
Bluewater Health and VISION Move COVID Residents to Hospital
Drive-Through Testing Comes to Sarnia Lambton
Gradual Restoration of Postponed Services Requires Careful, Cautious Approach
Reminder: Seek Emergency and Urgent Care When Needed
Bluewater Health and VISION Team Up to Battle COVID-19
COVID-19 Assessments Broadly Available for Sarnia-Lambton Community
100% Completion: Sarnia Lambton Retirement Homes and Long Term Care Home COVID Assessments
Long Term Care & Retirement Home Blitz – Testing Ramps up in Sarnia Lambton
More COVID Testing for Lambton County
Bluewater Health Readies Emergency Field Hospital
Bluewater Health and Lambton Public Health Confirm First Patients of COVID-19 in Sarnia Lambton
Bluewater Health Further Reduces Visiting
Bluewater Health Implements Several Changes in Preparation for COVID
Q: Is the hospital safe?
A: Bluewater Health is taking all possible precautions to make the hospital as safe as possible. This includes visitor restrictions, personal protective equipment (PPE) mandates, physical distancing measures, universal masking and updated procedures.
Q: How do I access the hospital sites?
A: At the Sarnia location, please park in the visitor parking lot or underground parking garage off of Russell Street. At the entrance, you will be screened by Bluewater Health staff. If you are being dropped off, please have the driver pull up to the Russell Street entrance doors where a staff member will assist you into the hospital. For those going to the Emergency Department, please use the entrance and parking lot on Norman Street. At Charlotte Eleanor Englehart (CEEH) there are two different entrances for patients and visitors. For those going to the Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging, or Lab – please use the Emergency Department entrance. For patients of Dr. Wang and Dr. Shih – please use the Dufferin Street entrance.
Q: My appointment was cancelled – why and what do I do now?
A: If your appointment was cancelled, please wait for your physician’s office or Bluewater Health to call you and reschedule. We are prioritizing patients based on urgency using an ethical framework.
Q: I have a confirmed in-person appointment. What do I need to know?
A: Please see the patient information handout for arriving at your appointment. and what to expect at the hospital.
Q: I have a confirmed procedure, treatment, or surgery at the hospital. What do I need to know?
A: Please see the patient handouts listed above, as well as the patient information handout for surgeries and procedures during COVID-19.
Q: I’ve been hospitalized and discharged for COVID-19. How do I continue my recovery from home?
A: Please see here for information about discharge planning and here for Public Health Ontario’s guidelines for self-isolation at home.
Q: Are volunteers still at the hospital?
A: In prioritizing the health and safety of our patients, staff, and volunteers, volunteers are not currently in the hospital. We appreciate all of our volunteers and look forward to welcoming them back when it is safe to do so. For more information about volunteering at Bluewater Health please see here.
Q: Can I drop off food, flowers, or other items for my loved one?
A: You can! Personal belongings (limited to the essentials listed below) or food items, can be dropped off at the Russell Street entrance and a staff member will bring it to the patient floor. We can’t promise how quickly the items will get to the floor, though, so try and stay away from things like coffee or ice cream as food items will not be refrigerated or reheated on the units.
- Aids: glasses, hearing, dentures, cane, shoes, gait aids
- Cell phones/chargers, computers, tablets
- Personal toiletries (new in package, if possible): soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, brush
- Cultural: traditional medicine and prayer necessities
- Unopened packaging or items placed in clear containers for cleaning
Q: Can I donate food to frontline staff?
A: Absolutely! Please email foundation@bluewaterhealth.ca to coordinate that.
Q: What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
A: Please see here for a list of COVID-19 symptoms from Public Health Ontario.
Q: How can I protect myself?
A: For information on how to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, please see this information from Public Health Ontario
Q: Should extra precautions be taken by vulnerable populations (immunocompromised, seniors, pregnant women) to protect from this illness?
A: Please see here for information regarding seniors and COVID-19, here for information regarding pregnancy and COVID-19, and here for information regarding vulnerable populations and COVID-19.
Q: What does community transmission mean?
A: Please see here for more information regarding types of transmission of COVID-19.
Q: Is there a treatment or cure available for COVID-19?
A: There is currently no approved treatment or cure available for COVID-19.
Please see here for Government of Canada information about travel restrictions, exemptions, and advice.
Please see here for Public Health Ontario's COVID-19 Healthcare Resources.