Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Health Care Providers

July 15, 2022

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

In this Issue:

  1. Monkeypox Update and Educational Opportunity
  2. Routine Adolescent Immunizations
  3. 2022 Ontario Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules now Available
  4. COVID-19 Vaccine - Expanded Eligibility
  5. Educational Opportunities
  6. New and Updated Resources

News & Updates

Monkeypox update and educational opportunity

Public Health Ontario continues to monitor the monkeypox situation and work collaboratively with local public health units, local health care providers and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Additional guidance continues to emerge as new information is available and the epidemiology evolves.

Monkeypox Vaccine (Imvamune®) is available to order through local public health units for:

  • the Purposes of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in locations with confirmed cases
  • the Purposes of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) throughout Ontario following public health case and contact management

Refer to Monkeypox Vaccine (Imvamune®) Guidance for Health Care Providers for specific details.

Monkeypox Antiviral Tecovirmat (TPoxxx) is available by limited supply in Ontario for individuals who are severely ill/disabled due to monkeypox infection or at high risk for severe disease. All requests for TPoxx® should be made to the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Operations Centre (MEOC). Refer to Monkeypox Antiviral Guidance for Health Care Providers for specific details.

Comparing monkeypox, chickenpox and hand foot and mouth disease: Ministry of Health Fact Sheet

*EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY* Monkeypox Webinar for Primary Care Providers – Monkeypox How to Recognize it. How to Manage it.

Tuesday, July 19, 7pm EST https://www.ohtn.on.ca/hive/monkeypox-how-to-recognize-it-how-to-manage-it-3/

  • Outlines what clinicians need to know about monkeypox – how to recognize it, manage it, and lessons from first 60 days including best practices in identifying contacts and stopping onward transmission

For further information regarding the monkeypox virus, including signs, symptoms, and how to reduce your risk of infection, visit the Ontario Ministry of Health’s Monkeypox Virus webpage and Public Health Ontario’s Monkeypox webpage for additional resources.

Routine Adolescent Immunizations - Direct Mail out to Students

Throughout the COVID-19 response Public Health has not been able to routinely assess and reinforce student immunization status. Many local students are not up to date with their routine vaccines due to COVID-19 related closures and delays.

Public Health is sending hard copy notices to families whose children(s) immunization records are not up to date at the current time. This notice intends to reduce the need for reminders and suspensions in the 2022/2023 school year by initiating vaccination catch up. Families are being reminded that Ontario's Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires that children and adolescents attending primary or secondary school be appropriately immunized against designated diseases, unless they have a valid exemption. All immunization requirements for school attendance align with Ontario's publicly funded immunization schedule

Please be aware

  • Mail-outs will be staggered, from the current time until the end of August
  • Your office may experience an influx of calls from parents/legal guardians requesting information on their child’s immunization history
  • If you notice a child is missing immunization(s), please take this opportunity to provide any outstanding vaccinations
  • If you are unable to administer school-based vaccines, please direct patients to our website for clinic information

 

2022 Ontario Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules Now Available

Key updates include:

  • Addition of maternal Tdap dose
  • Hepatitis B eligibility expansion to Grade 12
  • Rotavirus change: added Rotarix 2-dose series (removed Rotateq 3-dose series)
  • Addition of more detailed information in Table 1: Vaccine Administration
  • Simplified catch up schedules as a result of:
    • Hep B eligibility to Grade 12, and;
    • All students are now eligible for HPV until the end of Gr. 12 (no longer the need to differentiate between male and female cohorts for HPV since the initial cohort of boys have completed Grade 12)

English: Immunization – Ontario’s Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules 

French: Immunization – Calendriers de la vaccination financeé par le secteur public

COVID-19 Vaccine - Expanded Eligibility

Ontario Ministry of Health has expanded eligibility for COVID-19 second booster doses. As of July 14, individuals 18 years of age and over may receive their second booster dose 5 months (140 days) after their first booster (third dose).

For additional information refer to:

Educational Opportunities

Tuberculosis

New and Updated Resources

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

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health is situated and provides services on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee people.

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