November 9, 2020 Update
We continue to offer services, with some practical limitations, requirements, and requests. We ask that you please be patient with us during this time as we work towards ensuring access to sexual and reproductive health care and services and keeping our staff and patients safe.
This is an evolving situation, and we are doing our very best to prepare, keep people safe, and maintain access to essential care. As things change, we will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to our services on both social media and our website.
Thank you for your understanding and patience!
See below for current information.
We continue to offer services within clinics, following our COVID-19 safety plan. Even for clinic appointments, we may offer care via telephone assessment as a first choice to decrease asymptomatic COVID transmission risk. For example, this may mean that your visit with the clinician is completed by phone and that you receive a requisition to bring to a lab for STI testing.
Telemedicine appointments with our physicians are available. This is usually the best choice if you do not require a physical exam or our low-cost contraception.
Click here to Book an Appointment
Please note that some clinics may have to change their schedules or close temporarily, so we encourage all patients to check the Clinic Finder and Clinic Closures pages before attending a clinic. Sex Sense is open as usual, Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
COVID 19 Screening – Staff and Patients
All staff are required to stay home when they are sick, even if they have only mild symptoms.
We continue to screen all patients for COVID-19 by phone prior to entering the clinic. We ask that patients complete a self-assessment through the online self-assessment tools (https://bc.thrive.health/). We will not see any patients in the clinic who have a positive screen. In situations where patients screen positive for high COVID transmission risk, we will continue to refer them to facilities that are able to provide care with appropriate personal protection equipment (PPE), such as an emergency room or urgent care centers, or we can provide telemedicine support, as appropriate.
Limited appointments
We attempt to prioritize more urgent needs when possible. Please note that it may take longer to book in for an appointment and drop-in services may also be capped quicker. This is to allow for additional time to assess patients, physical distancing, and cleaning between patients. Thank you for your patience.
Personal Protective Equipment for Staff and Clients
Our staff will continue to utilize PPE when working at our clinics. We ask that our patients wear their own masks and perform hand hygiene when entering the clinic (either by hand washing or using hand sanitizer).
Physical Distancing within the clinic
Wherever possible, patients should wait outside the clinic until coming in for their appointment. If patients are unable to wait to enter the clinic until their appointment time, we will do our best to ensure that our clinic waiting areas are set up in a way to maintain physical distancing.
Cleaning
We are continuing our practice of disinfecting all high touch areas and exam rooms in between patient encounters.
Note: For patients who are symptomatic of COVID-19/self-isolated/too ill to attend the clinic but require medication and have an active prescription on file with our clinic, phone assessments can be completed and medications are given to a delegate whenever possible.
Still have Questions?
Our Sex Sense team is available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and can help answer any other questions you might have: 1-800-739-7367
Looking for a way to help? Support access to birth control and emergency contraception for folks in need!
Looking for COVID-19 resources?
- We are booking telemedicine appointments for those in communities without access to services
- Youth Co. has COVID-19 funds for youth living with HIV and/or Hep C
- BCCDC has information on COVID-19 for individuals and health care workers
- Public Health Agency of Canada has up to date information and resources
- NYC Health has shared some guidelines on safer sex during COVID-19 pandemic
Do you have a cough, runny nose, sore throat?
While you may just have a common cold and not COVID-19, we will, unfortunately, have to ask you not to visit our clinic or office while experiencing symptoms. Instead, please call us and we will do our best to support you in accessing the care you need: Sex Sense 1-800-739-7367
We want to encourage you to continue to take precautions to avoid contracting COVID-19, the flu, colds, or any other communicable infections; wash your hands often, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, avoid others who are feeling ill and stay home if you are feeling ill or experiencing any symptoms, especially if you have a sore throat, cough, or fever. For more information visit the BCCDC information page here.
Thank you again for your patience during this time. Know that our staff will continue to provide the amazing care our patients expect from Options for Sexual Health under these new circumstances.
Thank you!