Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Health Care Providers

October 22, 2021

From:
Dr. Ethan Toumishey
Acting Medical Officer of Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

In this Issue:

1. Welcoming Dr. Ethan Toumishey as Acting Medical Officer of Health
2. National Infection Control Week
3. November is Radon Action Month
4. COVID-19 Vaccine Consultation Services Available to Address Vaccine Hesitancy
5. Health Care Providers Needed to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine in Primary Care Settings
6. HCP Patient Referral Process, and Updated Eligibility for Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine
7. Updated Guidance for Case, Contact, and Outbreak Management for Fully Vaccinated and Previously Positive Individual
8. Updated COVID-19 Guidance: Primary Care Providers in a Community Setting
9. New and Updated COVID-19 Resources

News & Updates

Welcoming Dr. Ethan Toumishey as Acting Medical Officer of Health

Dr. Piotr Oglaza has begun a new position as Medical Officer of Health at KFL&A Public Health. The Board of Health has begun the necessary process to fill this crucial position. In the interim, Dr. Ethan Toumishey will be assuming the role of Acting Medical Officer of Health and CEO to ensure there is no disruption in service delivery throughout the transition.

Dr. Toumishey recently joined the leadership team at HPEPH as Director of Clinical Programs, prior to which he played an integral role in HPEPH’s pandemic response while completing his residency in Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

National Infection Control Week: October 18-22, 2021

The third week in October is designated as National Infection Control Week (NICW) in Canada and the U.S. NICW is an important reminder to all health care professionals and their teams that infection control practices are a critical part of maintaining healthy and safe environment for patients to receive care.

A few of the excellent infection control resources available to support your operations include:

• COVID-19: Infection Prevention and Control Checklist for Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes – Public Health Ontario, September 2021
• Infection Prevention and Control – Online Learning Modules – Public Health Ontario
• Infection Prevention and Control for Clinical Office Practice – Public Health Ontario, 2015
• Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment/Devices in All Health Care Settings, 3rd edition, Public Health Ontario, 2013

November is Radon Action Month

Did you know that at high levels of exposure, the lifetime risk of death from radon gas is higher than car accidents, carbon monoxide, and house fires? Radon gas has been linked to the deaths of more than 3,000 Canadians every year and can be found in varying amounts all across Canada.

As a health professional, your patients may ask you about the health risks of radon, and the need to test their homes. With many Canadians spending more time at home, it is important to encourage in-home testing for radon. This free + certified one-hour course from McMaster University will help you get facts that will be helpful to provide answers.

HPEPH is implementing a Radon awareness campaign during the month of November. As part of this awareness campaign HPE will be selling radon test kits to homeowners at a reduced cost to encourage radon testing. Radon test kits will cost $15 each and can be ordered through the HPEPH website during the month of November for pick up at any HPEPH branch location.

COVID-19 Vaccine News & Updates

COVID-19 Vaccine Consultation Services Available to Address Vaccine Hesitancy

SickKids Hospital in Toronto has launched a by-appointment phone service to provide a safe space for individuals to consult with a paediatric registered nurse about the COVID-19 vaccine for children and youth. This service is available free to any Ontario resident and is available in multiple languages.

Vaxfacts is a by-appointment consultation service offered by the Scarborough Health Network, for vaccine hesitant clients to speak with a doctor about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Health Care Providers Needed to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine in Primary Care Settings

As we prepare for the pending approval of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5-11, and the possible rollout of third doses for vulnerable populations, we cannot underemphasize the need for ongoing support of primary care practitioners to ensure delivery of COVID-19 vaccination opportunities throughout the region. Parents of young children, in particular, would welcome the opportunity to consult with their child’s primary care provider and have their child receive the COVID-19 vaccination in a familiar setting such as your primary care practice. Primary care is the first and largest point of contact most residents have with the health care system. This community access to health care providers is critical to ensure the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination are communicated to individuals who are uncertain about the benefits of the vaccine, or those who may not be comfortable in a mass immunization clinic setting.

HPEPH continues to invite local health care providers to onboard and begin COVID-19 vaccine administration in their practice, as soon as possible. To indicate your interest and support the COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout in our community:

1. Review and complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Readiness Checklist.
2. To become an authorized vaccination site, submit the completed checklist, to indicate your interest in administering COVID-19 vaccination to VPDCalendar@hpeph.ca.
3. Once authorized as a COVID-19 vaccination site, complete HPEPH’s vaccine order form as needed to support vaccine delivery in your practice

Thank you in advance for your continued support and collaboration as we work together to keep the community safe.

HCP Patient Referral Process, and Updated Eligibility for Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

Medications which are eligible for third dose COVID-19 vaccine have been expanded, and now include: secukinumab, ixekizumab, brodalumab, belimumab, vetolizumab.

A COVID-19 Vaccine 3rd Dose Patient Referral Form can be completed and provided at a COVID-19 vaccination site ONLY when vaccination administration is unable to be completed intra-organizationally by Physician or Specialty Program responsible for eligible patient care.

COVID-19 Resources & Guidance Document Updates

Updated Guidance for Case, Contact, and Outbreak Management for Fully Vaccinated and Previously Positive Individuals

The Ministry of Health released version 3 of the Case and Contact Management for Fully Vaccinated Previously Positive Individuals on October 12, 2021.

Note the following changes:

• Fully vaccinated and previously positive residents in long-term care and retirement homes and admitted patients with high-risk exposures to a case should continue to be self-isolated and tested, even if they remain asymptomatic and regardless of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose after their primary vaccine series.
• Table 1 in the guidance document includes a summary of additional measures for fully vaccinated / previously positive high-risk contacts.
• Fully vaccinated and previously positive individuals who are not required to isolate following a high-risk exposure should avoid non-essential visits to settings with vulnerable populations, or where there is a large number of unvaccinated people (e.g., volunteering or visiting a long-term care home, shelter, school or child care setting) for 10 days after exposure.

Updated COVID-19 Guidance: Primary Care Providers in a Community Setting

Updates to this Ministry of Health Guidance document for primary care providers were released on October 19, 2021. Content updates include in person care, screening, testing and Occupational Health and Safety.

New and Updated COVID-19 Resources

• COVID-19 Guidance: Paramedic Services (Ministry of Health)
• COVID-19 guidance document for long-term care homes in Ontario (Ministry of Long-Term Care)
• COVID-19 Guidance: Workplace Outbreaks

Back to Summary

Contact Information: 

To give us your comments: hart.sara@hpeph.ca

To report communicable diseases:613-966-5500 x349

To report AEFI or DOPHS: Online / Fax: 613-966-1813 or CDCFAX1@hpeph.ca

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