Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Health Care Providers

February 25, 2022

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

In this Issue:

  1. NEW respiratory illness assessment pop-up clinic available until March 3
  2. COVID-19 resources for patients
  3. Booster doses extended to all 12 to 17 year old youth
  4. Updated NACI guidance on COVID-19 vaccination timing for individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2
  5. Ontario expanding access to free rapid tests for general public
  6. Updated guidance on using rapid antigen tests
  7. Ontario resuming non-urgent and non-emergent care
  8. Government of Canada lightens border measures
  9. New and updated COVID-19 resources

COVID-19 vaccine news & updates

NEW respiratory illness assessment pop-up clinic available until March 3

A new Respiratory Illness Assessment Clinic (RIAC) has launched at Quinte Health Care Trenton Memorial Hospital (TMH). The clinic offers care to patients of all ages in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties experiencing mild to moderate respiratory symptoms that could be associated with COVID-19, or another respiratory illness, such as difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and/or a stubborn cough.

  • The pop-up clinic will be in place for three weeks (until March 3, 2022), unless patient demand demonstrates a need for the clinic to remain open for a longer period of time.
  • RIAC will operate three days per week, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m. at the main level at TMH. The entrance to the clinic is in the rear of the building.

Patients, physicians or nurse practitioners can book appointments online or by calling 613-961-5544.

COVID-19 resources for patients

The resources below may be helpful to share with patients that have questions regarding COVID-19 guidance or vaccination.

  • Parent Homework Campaign created by the Children’s Health Coalition offers families trusted information on COVID-19 vaccination for children.
  • 'Confused about COVID? Family doctors answer your questions’ created by the University of Toronto Department of Family & Community Medicine provides advice to patients and the public about protecting their health and how family doctors can help.

Several translations of this resource are available.

Booster doses extended to all 12 to 17 year old youth

As of Friday, February 18th, Ontario has expanded eligibility for a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to all youth between the ages of 12 and 17. Booster doses for this age group are available > 6 months (168 days) after an individual received their second dose.

Youth must be at least 12 years old on the day they are to receive their booster dose. Appointments can be booked at our mass vaccination clinics, and those in this age group who are eligible for a booster dose of vaccine may also walk in to any COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

Updated NACI guidance on COVID-19 vaccination timing for individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2

NACI now recommends the following optimal vaccine intervals between COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 vaccines:

  • COVID-19 infection prior to completion or initiation of primary series in individuals ≥5 yrs of age
    • give vaccine 8 wks after symptom onset or positive test (if asymptomatic), OR
    • if severely to moderately immunocompromised with no previous history multisystem inflammatory syndrome in [adults (MIS-A) or] children (MIS-C), give vaccine 4 to 8 wks after symptom onset or positive test (if asymptomatic), OR
    • if previous history MIS-C, wait until clinical recovery or ≥90 days since the onset of MIS-C, whichever is longer, before giving vaccine
  • COVID-19 infection after primary series (3 doses for severely / moderately immunocompromised), but before booster dose, give vaccine 3 months after symptom onset or positive test (if asymptomatic), provided it is at least 6 months from completing primary series.

Ontario expanding access to free rapid tests for general public

To further support the province’s cautious easing of public health measures, the Ontario government has expanded access to free rapid testing kits to the general public for at-home use. On February 9, over 2,300 participating grocery and pharmacy locations began providing free rapid tests while supplies last, with a limit of one box of five tests per household per visit. A list of participating retailers as well as information on how retail locations are distributing rapid test kits can be found at Ontario.ca/rapidtest.

Updated guidance on using rapid antigen tests

The Ontario Science Table has advised that rapid antigen tests are less sensitive for the Omicron variant compared to the Delta variant in nasal samples, especially in the first 1-2 days after infection. However, rapid antigen tests can more reliably detect infectious cases of the Omicron variant in combined oral-nasal samples. Therefore, when doing a RAT you should:

  • NOT eat, drink, chew gum, smoke, or vape for at least 30 minutes before collecting the sample.
  • Insert the soft swab tip between both inner cheeks and lower gums and turn the swab a few times.
  • Then, rub the soft swab tip on your tongue as far back in your throat as you feel comfortable or you may choose to swab the back of your throat and tonsils. You can use a mirror to help see where to rub your swab.

Watch this helpful video to find out how to best use the RAT or refer to the Ministry How to Collect a Sample fact sheet for pictorial instructions for collecting a combined oral and nasal specimen.

In light of currently very high SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates in Ontario and the limited sensitivity of rapid antigen tests for the Omicron variant, a single negative rapid antigen test result cannot reliably rule out infection; a single negative test result is not conclusive and should not be used as a green light for abandoning or reducing precautions. Conversely, in this context, an individual with a positive rapid test result should view it as a red light and should be considered and managed as a case of COVID-19 and should immediately isolate; additional confirmation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is not necessary in most settings.

Ontario resuming non-urgent and non-emergent care

On February 10, 2022, Directive #2 was revoked to allow a gradual, phased and coordinated resumption of non-urgent and non-emergent clinical services by Health Care Providers. The Chief Medical Officer of Health and Ontario Health have issued guidance to public hospitals respecting the cautious and gradual resumption of deferred services and on optimizing capacity within and across the hospital system.

Government of Canada lightens border measures

The Government of Canada announced a series of adjustments to the current border measures, representing the beginning of a phased easing of travel restrictions.

Beginning on February 28th, 2022 at 12:01am. EST the following measures will be updated:

  • Easing of on-arrival testing for fully vaccinated travellers.
  • Children under 12 years old, who are travelling with fully vaccinated adults will no longer need to wait 14 days after their return before attending school or daycare.
  • Unvaccinated travellers will continue to be required to be tested on arrival, then again on the eighth day following their return, and quarantine for 14 days.
  • Travellers will now have the option of using a COVID-19 rapid antigen test result or a molecular test result to meet pre-entry requirements.
  • The Government of Canada will adjust its travel health notice from a Level 3 to a Level 2. This means the Government will no longer recommend that Canadians avoid travel for non-essential purposes.

New and updated COVID-19 resources

Vaccine Information

COVID-19 Guidance

Current information on COVID-19 specifically for health care providers can be found at hpePublicHealth.ca, Ontario Ministry of Health and at publichealthontario.ca.

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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