Dear members,
We know that you are already receiving many questions about the COVID-19 vaccine(s) and the distribution plan from your communities. The people you care for are going to see many messages from a variety of sources. Your communities look to you for trusted advice.
As a united partnership, we are advocating for what you need to support your communities. The links below from the Ontario Ministry of Health provide some of the key facts, and we are working on further resources. We also know many communities will need tailored approaches specific to geography, culture, and other nuances. Please let us know your specific needs. Together, we can leverage the trust you have earned with your patients to help implement the most important vaccination campaign of our era.
In the meantime, we can all do our part by taking the following steps:
1. Stay informed.
Understand the facts about the vaccines available, how they work, and what the trial results showed. Over 70,000 patients were enrolled in the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccine trials combined, with no serious adverse events. The efficacy data from the trials was reported to be approximately 95%. Read the Government of Canada’s info page about the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine here.
Summary guidance released on December 14th by the Ministry of Health includes the following:
- About Vaccines
- COVID-19 Guidance for Health Care Settings
- Information Sheet: Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine
- Approval Process and Safety
- Administration of Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine
- Vaccine Availability and Rollout
2. Get vaccinated.
Our patients and communities look to us to model healthy behaviours. When you get vaccinated, it will signal to your patients and communities that vaccination is the wise choice. At every opportunity, in virtual or in-person visits, and on social media, consider sharing with your patients your intention to get yourself and your loved ones vaccinated. The literature shows that this personal sharing will have a positive influence.
Offer to provide the facts and to address any concerns. We will need to work together to ensure every Ontarian who wants the vaccine has a plan to receive it; be ready to share with them the when/where/how details, and a reminder about the second dose.
3. Keep up with the Education
We know you are fielding questions daily about the vaccine from your patients, your staff, and your community. Further tools and supports will be available very soon to help you proactively address hesitancy and misinformation. In the meantime, here are some educational opportunities that may be of interest:
- The OCFP’s archived Friday, December 11th Community of Practice webinar on COVID-19 vaccine, public health collaboration and supporting our teams
- The National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases’ PHAC Recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) on the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine webinar on Friday, December 18th at 12:30 p.m. ET
- The College of Family Physicians of Canada The COVID-19 Pivot: Vaccine update for family physicians live webinar on Tuesday, January 12th, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Have more questions about the vaccine, the implementation plan in primary care, or how it will affect you and your patients? We want to hear them. Please connect with us by email. We are also attaching a template letter that you can adapt and use for your patients and community members if you wish to send them an update as well.
We also would welcome you to join the Ontario Hospital Association’s Take the Pledge to Stop the Spread campaign and continue to do our part in protecting Ontario’s health system capacity and its vulnerable populations, especially over the coming winter months. Using the hashtag #StopTheSpread, please consider sharing your stories about how you’re doing your part – especially over the holiday season – then encourage others to do the same.
Thank you for your tireless work in supporting and caring for your patients and your communities. We know you are tired, but we remain hopeful that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As we head into the holiday break, we will continue to update you on the vaccine rollout as we get more information. More importantly, we hope you all get a well-deserved break with your loved ones.
Sincerely,
Dr. Allan Grill Kavita Mehta
Chair and President, AFHTO Chief Executive Officer, AFHTO
In unity with our dedicated partners in Ontario’s primary care:
- Alliance for Healthier Communities
- Indigenous Primary Health Care Council
- Nurse Practitioners’ Association of Ontario
- Ontario College of Family Physicians
- Ontario College of Pharmacists
- Ontario Medical Association Section of General and Family Practice
- Ontario’s Academic Chairs of Family Medicine
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