About Epilepsy
Helpful Resources

COVID-19 Tips Page

What we’re doing at Epilepsy Toronto

After two long years, Epilepsy Toronto is finally able to resume in-person service delivery to you and your family.  We can’t wait to see you!

In order to do this safely, we need to do all we can to ensure that our office remains a COVID free environment.

Please, if you have been diagnosed with COVID anytime within the past 14 days, we respectfully ask that you refrain from visiting the office.  Your counsellor will be happy to serve you virtually or reschedule your appointment.

Similarly, stay home if:

  • You’ve recently had close contact with anyone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or acute respiratory Illness
  • You have ONE or more of the following symptoms (that is new or worsening)
    • Fever (37. 8˚ C or higher) and/or chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
    • Decreased or loss of taste or smell
  • You have TWO or more of the following symptoms (that is new or worsening)
    • Runny nose or nasal congestion
    • Headache
    • Extreme fatigue or tiredness
    • Sore throat
    • Muscle aches or joint pain
    • Gastrointestinal symptoms (such as vomiting or diarrhea)

And we will do the same.  Any of us that are ill or exhibiting the above symptoms will stay away from the office, so as not to expose you unnecessarily.  The way we see it, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.  (The Ontario Government provides a useful self-assessment tool: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment/)

To be extra safe, for the present time:

  • Staff and visitors will be required to sign a register upon arrival at the office.  This will expedite contact tracing in the event of an outbreak.
  • Air purifiers with Hepa filters have been purchased for the office.
  • Staff and visitors are encouraged to wear face masks while at the office in shared spaces.
  • Social distancing will be respected, where possible, and Plexiglas stands made available as protective barriers.
  • We’ll control the number of staff and visitors at the office at any given time, to reduce contact.
  • Hand sanitation stations will be positioned at the entrance to the office, and staff and visitors are required to wash frequently.  Key touch points at the office (door handles, desks, etc.) will be sanitized regularly.
  • Building management has sanitizer in the main foyer, as well, and is limiting the number of people permitted in the elevator at any given time. Visitors are free to use the stairs if preferred.

We truly appreciate your patience and understanding.

Should you have any questions, feel free to contact us at any time!
[email protected]
416-964-9095

Thank you!!

Information about COVID-19

Keeping informed about the virus is key to preventing it’s spread. Below are some helpful resources and up-to-date information about the virus and tips on how to help prevent its spread.

COVID-19 Vaccines

We have been receiving a lot of questions about COVID-19, vaccines, and how it may impact someone living with epilepsy. To learn more, visit our COVID-19 Vaccines FAQ page.

Paxlovid and Epilepsy Medications

According to Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company responsible for making Paxlovid, the first oral COVID-19 treatment approved in Canada, individuals who are taking carbamazepine, phenobarbital, or phenytoin, used to treat seizures, should not take Paxlovid. Please see section 2 – Contradictions of Pfizer’s Product Monograph Including Patient Medication Information document for more details.

Epilepsy Toronto’s Webinar Series

COVID-19 & Epilepsy Webinar

Click below to watch our Webinar on COVID-19 and Epilepsy with Neurologist Dr Evan Lewis (Neurology Centre of Toronto) and Nurse Practitioner Ivanna Yau (Sickkids). Click here to download a FAQ fact sheet about COVID19. 

Managing Anxiety During COVID-19 Webinar

Click below to watch our Webinar with Dr. David Gold, a staff neuropsychologist at Toronto Western Hospital, about anxiety management strategies during COVID-19.

Working from Home During COVID-19 Webinar

Epilepsy Toronto’s Employment Specialist Jesse Preston, and long time client/member and occasional staff member, Lindsay Yeo (with years of working from home experience), give a presentation chock-full of tools to help you face the challenges of working from home, followed by a live Q&A.

Epilepsy Medication and COVID-19 Webinar

A discussion with clinical pharmacist, Laura Wang, and neurologist, Dr. Bercovici, about epilepsy medications during COVID-19, followed by a live Q&A.

Managing Family/Household Dynamics During COVID-19 Webinar

Our Director of Adult Services, Rosie Smith, chats with registered family therapist, professor and author, Theo Selles, to discuss strategies to help you and your household manage during this challenging time. Followed by a live Q&A.

VNS (Vagus Nerve Stimulation) Therapy Webinar

Epilepsy Toronto’s Director of Adult Services, Rosie Smith, chats with Cameron Finlay, Manager of Education and a Senior Technical Product Specialist for the Canadian affiliate of LivaNova, the company that manufactures the VNS Therapy device. They were also joined by Dr. Cristina Go, neurologist, pediatric epileptologist, and clinical neurophysiologist at the Hospital for Sick Children.

Women and Epilepsy Webinar

In this webinar, guests Darcia Paul and Paula Marques speak about issues pertaining to women and epilepsy. They will be discussing considerations specific to women living with epilepsy such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Their presentation will be followed by a live Q&A moderated by Epilepsy Toronto’s Adult Services Social Worker, Stephanie Aniol, MSW, RSW.

Youth and Mental Health Webinar

Epilepsy Toronto and Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario co-hosted a webinar to discuss youth mental health and its relationship with epilepsy. Joined by an expert panel,who share their experience working with youth mental health, and provide strategies to assist youth during this time.

Return to School for Parents of Students with Epilepsy  Webinar

Back to school can be a time of questions and concerns for all parents, but especially parents of students with epilepsy. This year, Covid-19 has likely amplified those concerns. Our expert panel offers insights into first aid and Covid-19 protocols in schools, provides resources for students returning to the classroom and those opting to learn online, and answer your questions during a live Q&A period.

Epilepsy Medication

For more information and updates about epilepsy medication, visit our Updates About Epilepsy Medication page. 

More COVID-19 Resources

Here are some helpful links with up-to-date information about the virus and tips on how to help prevent its spread.

Thank you and stay healthy!