As of June 1, several regulated health professionals in Ontario are now allowed to open their doors again amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Dentists, optometrists, psychologists, dietitians and denturists are just some of the professions on the province’s reopening list as it moves forward with easing restrictions.
Chiropractors Dr. Laura Gifford and Dr. Peter Pain operate The Live Well Centre in Kingston, Ont., and offer physio and massage therapy at their practice.
Many difficult days still lie ahead, but opening the business again is a welcome relief, says Pain.
“In the beginning, we were thinking, ‘How are we going to do this? Are we even going to be able to keep the centre going long term?'” he said.
Gone are the days of people filling the waiting room. Gifford says they are lucky they have as much space as they do at their Bagot Street practice.
Physical-distancing measures were easy to implement, says Gifford, but the facility is operating at about 50 per cent of its previous volume.
Gifford says that reduction allows for the time necessary to clean equipment after treating patients and ensures they don’t get a backlog of patients waiting.
“We just work longer hours to accommodate because we just can’t have lineups at the reception desk and waiting in the waiting area,” Gifford said.
Pain says programs rolled out by all levels of government have helped them keep their practice going.
“We kept one of our staff on the whole time then we brought one of our staff off of CERB (Canada Emergency Response Benefit) after one or two months, and everyone’s getting wage subsidy, which is really really good,” he said.
Pain says they are waiting to see if they qualify for a rent subsidy.