Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Health Care Providers

December 18, 2020

From:
Dr. Piotr Oglaza
Medical Officer of Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

In this Issue:

1. Holiday Greetings
2. Updates to PPE Escalation Process
3. COVID-19 Vaccine Update
4. HPEPH Holiday Hours

Holiday Greetings for Health Care Professionals

As we near the end of 2020 and the unprecedented challenges it has brought us, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for the dedication and hard work shown by all of you, our health care partners.

As we have worked together to respond to the pandemic, health care professionals have played an integral role in implementing public health precautions, testing and treating patients, and promoting preventative measures, all while continuing to deliver front line health care services. The team at public health recognizes the incredible efforts being put forward by health care professionals to protect the health and safety of our communities this year.

On behalf of the entire team at HPEPH, I want to thank you, our health care partners! Your support and collaboration has been, and continues to be essential to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our region. I sincerely wish you a wonderful, safe, and well-deserved holiday season. I encourage you to take steps to celebrate safely in order to protect your own health, and the health of those you care about.

Our team looks forward to continuing to work together in the new year and beyond.

Sincerely,

Dr. Piotr Oglaza
Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH

Updates to Emergency PPE Escalation Process and Requirements

Please note the following three changes to the process for health care professionals to request PPE from the provincial pandemic PPE supply:

1. The threshold to submit emergency escalations for PPE has been amended from seven days of supply remaining to 14 days of supply remaining.
2. Submissions into the Ontario Critical Supplies and Equipment (CSE) Virtual Inventory (Virtual Inventory), have been reduced from twice per week to once per week, as of Tuesday, December 1.
3. During the winter months, entities requesting swabs need to submit requests between Monday and Wednesday in order to receive in the same week. Emergency escalations will still be addressed.

The full memorandum and two additional resources are listed below:

• Ontario Health - Memo to the Health Sector – Updates to PPE Request Process
• Health Sector - COVID-19 Critical Supplies and Equipment Survey - How to Guide
• Health Sector - Updates, Tips & Tricks

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

“The Ontario government has developed a three-phase implementation plan to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccines to Ontarians as soon as they are received. Phase One began on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 with a pilot project in Toronto and Ottawa which includes the vaccination of over 2,500 health care workers with the Health Canada approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.” - Government of Ontario

For a full breakdown of each of the three phases, see the full article from the Province here: Ontario Begins Rollout of COVID-19 Vaccine

Public Health Ontario has released a COVID-19 Vaccines web page that includes the following information:

• COVID-19 Vaccine Program & Eligability
• How to report an adverse event following COVID-19 vaccination
• Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Guidance for COVID-19 Immunization Clinics

This webpage will be updated regularly with additional information as it becomes available.

While we do not have details about when the COVID-19 vaccine will be available in HPEPH region, we are working to ensure we are prepared to receive and distribute vaccine locally, when such direction is provided by the province.

HPEPH Holiday Closures

HPEPH satellite office locations will be closed Dec 21, 2020 – Jan 4, 2021. During this time vaccine orders will NOT be available for pick up at the following locations;

• Trenton office: 499 Dundas St. W
• Picton office: 35 Bridge St.
• Bancroft office: 1P Manor Lane

If vaccine is required during this time, arrangements may be made through our Belleville Office by calling 613-966-5500 x 222.

HPEPH will continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the holiday by providing uninterrupted COVID-19 case and contact management.

Back to Summary

Contact Information: 

To give us your comments: etubbs@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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