Conversations with local public health units – and additional tools and resources

Dear triad members,

After a bit of down time this summer, we restarted our regular regional ED check-in calls. At the beginning of the month we connected with EDs across all regions, and we were joined by representatives from local public health units.

We discussed preparation for wave 2 and flu season and how we can continue to manage having children in school. Below are the resources that were shared by the PHUs, as well as more information on the topics discussed that may be helpful. We have also included information about the Ontario Hospital Association’s #StopTheSpread campaign at the end, which we encourage you to share with your teams.

Preparation for flu season

• Flu season is here, and vaccine distribution has started. Managing flu season alongside the pandemic, ensuring adequate access to resources, and ensuring sufficient access to vaccines are top concerns.
• AFHTO continues to speak to the importance of prioritisation of vaccine distribution for primary care, and the challenges on continuity of care given the larger focus on distribution to pharmacies. We are also flagging the concern about vaccines that were missed in schools in the spring due to closures, and we are asking about the catch-up plan.
• Building off the questions and input on the ED calls, AFHTO worked with the Centre for Effective Practice and our partners at the OMA, OCFP, and NPAO to develop flu guidelines to assist primary care providers. This flu resource document will be posted tomorrow, October 20, and will include checklists for the following sites: mobile clinics, office-based clinics, offsite indoor clinics, curbside/drive thru clinics, and outdoor walk thru clinics.
• Teams may also find the following resources helpful:
  • Influenza vaccine guidelines (Durham Region Health Department)
  • Influenza quick reference guide 2020-21 (Ontario Medical Association)
  • Guidance for immunization services during COVID-19 (Ontario Health)
• It remains important for all teams to be connecting with their local public health units to help inform and coordinate the regional approach to flu shot clinics and distribution.

COVID-19 resources and supports

• Here are some resources to help teams manage wave 2 of the pandemic:
  • COVID-19: Preparedness for wave 2 (Public Health Ontario)
  • What we know so far about the risks to health care workers (Public Health Ontario)
  • #PublicHealthProtects, COVID response (Durham Region Health Department)
  • Management of case and contacts of COVID-19 in Ontario (Ministry of Health)
  • Optimizing care through COVID-19 transmission scenarios (Ontario Health)
  • COVID-19 resource list (COVID-19 Community of Practice for Ontario Family Physicians)
    • Recordings of the CoP sessions are posted here, including one from last Friday on “Rising case counts, respiratory assessment centres, and flu shots during COVID-19.”

Guidelines for cleaning/disinfecting in community-based settings

• The public health units provided links to several documents that teams may find helpful in cleaning and disinfecting.
  • Public Health Ontario COVID-19 resources for public settings
  • Public Health Ontario COVID-19 resources for health care settings
  • Health Canada’s list of disinfectants with evidence for use against COVID-19
  • Porcupine PHU: Guidelines for cleaning blood or body fluids

School Reopenings

• Public Health Ontario has developed the following resources to assist with reopening and children being back in school:
  • Environmental scan of school reopening during COVID-19
  • COVID-19 preparedness and prevention in elementary and secondary schools
  • Preventing COVID-19: Tips for children attending school
  • School closure and reopening impacts – COVID-19 pandemic
• The Centre for Effective Practice also recently released Paediatric screening, testing, isolation and return to school.
• Children’s Mental Heath Ontario has posted a CMHO Back to School Kit.
• The OMA has also posted tools for back to school, which can be seen here.
  • Resources include Back to school 2020: Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care, moderated by Dr. Allan Grill

Resources from public health units

• Here are presentations from the ED calls that cover a variety of topics and fit in more than one of the above sections. You can see information in these on flu season, COVID-19, assessment centres, and other topics:
  • Public Health Update, Simcoe Muskoka Health Unit
  • Public Health Update, Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health
  • Public Health Update, York Region Public Health
    • Includes links to healthcare provider phone and web resources.
• Multiple other public fact sheets can be found on PHO’s COVID-19 public resources page.

OHA Launches Social Media Campaign to #StoptheSpread of COVID-19

• The Ontario Hospital Association is launching a social media campaign that we encourage members participate in! The #StopTheSpread of COVID-19 campaign is targeting three audience groups: (1) ages 20-30, (2) broad audience 40s+, and (3) health care workers.
• There is a special landing page for health care workers and their participation is critical – no one can speak better to the importance of getting everyone to do their part. There can be personal comments, selfies, and team photos, and there is the opportunity to express why it’s important that we all encourage others to do their part. It is a pledge for us all to help #StopTheSpread.
• We hope you will distribute this across your team and encourage they engage in it!

We hope you find these resources helpful. Please reach any time with questions, and we will send meeting invites out soon for our ED check-in in November.

Sincerely,

Your AFHTO team