For Municipal Partners

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Online Bulletin for Municipal Partners

January 4, 2022

To ensure everyone has current information, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health will be providing regular COVID-19 updates.

For more information please review our website or call 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803.

Updates

Epidemiological

• Hastings and Prince Edward Counties have 4,114 cumulative lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 1,323 active, 2,772 resolved and 19 deceased. There were 544 new cases reported since December 31.
  • There are 6 local retirement facilities experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks; additional outbreak details can be found online.
  • Please note as of December 31, Ontario eligibility for COVID-19 testing has been limited to the most vulnerable/highest risk individuals and settings. As a result, reported confirmed cases on the HPEPH Dashboard will not adequately reflect the true number of people with COVID-19 in the HPEPH region. In response to this provincial guidance, there will be structural changes to the dashboard, including but not limited to, the removal of the COVID-19 Case Counts by Geography map.
  • More information is available on our website hpePublicHealth.ca
• 7 day case rate: 532.9 per 100,000
• Positivity Rate: 17.9%
• Vaccinations among residents 5 and older:
  • First Dose: 141,996 (86%)
  • Second Dose: 129,881 (79%)

• Ontario is reporting 11,352 new cases today and 1,290 individuals are in the hospital with 266 in the ICU due to COVID-19 related illness.

• In Canada, as of January 4, 2021, there are 2,302,695 total cases of COVID-19 with 322,362 active cases and 1,949,934 recovered. To date, there have been 30,399 COVID-19 related deaths and more than 52,788,460 individuals tested.

Summary of cases of COVID-19: Ontario, January 15, 2020 to January 3, 2022

Summary of Cases in Ontario Schools - As of December 24, 2021

Local Updates

Public Health Bulletin Schedule Update

The Public Health Bulletin for Municipal Partners is being sent today as a supplemental update after the holidays. The regular biweekly schedule of updates every other Tuesday will resume beginning next week on Tuesday, January 11.

Upcoming Vaccination Clinics

• Appointments are available for children aged 5 to 11 through the provincial booking site or by calling the provincial contact centre at 1-833-943-3900. Clinic locations include:
  • Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre in Belleville
  • Prince Edward Community Centre in Picton
• Appointments for individuals born in 2009 and earlier, including first, second and third/booster doses are in high demand in HPE. Appointments are being added regularly to the provincial booking site. Please check back regularly for appointments, and follow HPEPH on Facebook or Twitter to be notified when new appointments become available.
• Eligible individuals may also book appointments for COVID-19 vaccination through local pharmacies.

Please note, new clinic dates and times are updated regularly. Please view the HPEPH Booking and Eligibility Page for the latest information.

Provincial

Ontario Temporarily Moving to Modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen

• The province will return to the modified version of Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen effective Wednesday, January 5, 2022 at 12:01 a.m. for at least 21 days (until January 26, 2022), subject to trends in public health and health system indicators.
• Please view the regulation for the full list of mandatory public health and workplace safety measures.
• In addition, on January 5, 2022 the Chief Medical Officer of Health will reinstate Directive 2 for hospitals and regulated health professionals, instructing hospitals to pause all non-emergent and non-urgent surgeries and procedures in order to preserve critical care and human resource capacity.
• The government is expanding the new Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program. Eligible businesses that are required to close or reduce capacity will receive rebate payments for a portion of the property tax and energy costs they incur while subject to these measures. Eligible businesses required to reduce capacity to 50 per cent, such as smaller retail stores, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 50 per cent of their costs, while businesses required to close for indoor activities, such as restaurants and gyms, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 100 per cent of their costs. A full list of eligible business types will be made available when applications for the program open later this month.

Ontario Launches New Supports for Businesses

• New supports include a new Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program and a six-month interest- and penalty-free period to make payments for most provincially administered taxes.
• Online applications for this program will open in mid-January 2022, with payments to eligible businesses provided retroactive to December 19, 2021.
• The province is also providing additional support to help improve cash flows for Ontario businesses by providing a six-month interest- and penalty-free period to make payments for most provincially administered taxes, supporting businesses in the immediate term while capacity restrictions are in place while providing the flexibility Ontario businesses will need for long-term planning. The six-month period will begin January 1, 2022 and end July 1, 2022.

Updated Eligibility for PCR Testing and Case and Contact Management Guidance in Ontario

• In response to the rapidly spreading and highly transmissible Omicron variant, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is updating its COVID-19 testing and isolation guidelines. Key changes include the following:
  • Symptomatic testing will be available for high-risk individuals, and individuals who work in high-risk settings.
  • Individuals with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 are presumed positive and they should follow isolation and/or self-monitoring guidelines.
  • Testing for asymptomatic contacts of cases is generally no longer recommended, except for high-risk contacts/individuals that are part of confirmed or suspected outbreaks in high-risk settings, as recommended by public health.
  • Positive rapid antigen tests will no longer require PCR confirmation.
    Based on the latest scientific evidence, individuals with COVID-19 should isolate for five days if they are fully vaccinated or under the age of 12, and if their symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours.

Ontario Extending Call to Arms to Businesses, Volunteers and Retired Health Professionals

• Ontario is unleashing the full potential of the province’s businesses, workers and union leaders to support the vaccine rollout by hosting employer-led clinics. Employer-led clinics must be set up, operated and funded by employers and meet established criteria to vaccinate employees aged 18 and over, their families and retirees, as well as members of the local and neighbouring communities as capacity allows.
• Businesses can call the Ontario Together Contact Centre at 1-888-777-0554 to learn more about hosting a vaccination clinic. Community groups and places of worship interested in arranging a GO-VAXX mobile bus clinic visit, can contact GOVAXX@ontario.ca.

Ontario Taking Further Action to Keep Long-Term Care Residents Safe

• The following temporary measures at long-term care homes went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, December 30, 2021:
  • Access to long-term care homes by general visitors has been paused. Designated caregivers may continue to enter long-term care homes.
  • Day absences for all residents for social purposes has been paused.
• These changes are in addition to updates that went into effect on Friday, December 17.

All Ontarians 18+ Eligible for COVID-19 Booster Appointments at Three-Month Interval

• Individuals aged 18 and over can schedule their booster dose appointment through the Ontario’s booking portal, by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, participating pharmacies and primary care settings.
• Appointments will be booked three months (84 days) after a second dose as the province urgently expands booster eligibility to millions more individuals.

Ontario Investing in More Supports for Retirement Homes

• The province is providing an additional $11 million to further improve safety in retirement homes so residents can continue to stay safe through the pandemic. This includes $8 million to support teams to assist retirement homes with infection prevention and control (IPAC), testing and vaccination, as well as more staff to support ongoing active screening, antigen testing, and IPAC audits.
• The province is also investing $3 million in mobile staffing support teams to quickly respond and ensure retirement homes have staff to meet the needs of residents.

Ontario Expanding Specialized COVID-19 Vaccine Supports for Indigenous Communities

• Funding will support the administration of third and booster doses and the vaccination of Indigenous children aged 5 to 11, in addition to the development of communications programs to address vaccine hesitancy. It will also facilitate ongoing pandemic response measures, such as testing and contact tracing.

Offering Fourth Doses to Long-Term Care Residents

• The province will be making fourth doses of mRNA vaccines available to residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, Elder Care Lodges and other congregate care settings if at least three months, or 84 days, have passed since their third dose.
• In response to the uniquely high-risk nature of long-term care settings for Ontario’s most vulnerable individuals, the province is also mandating third doses for all staff, students, volunteers, caregivers and support workers by January 28, 2022 for those currently eligible for a booster, and will be requiring visitors to provide proof of a booster dose once the temporary pause on general visitors is lifted.

Federal

Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada on December 30, 2021

• During the latest 7 day period (Dec 23-29), an average of 25,332 new cases were reported daily across Canada, which is an increase of 141% compared to the previous week. As of December 29, 2021, there have been over 34,000 cases of the Omicron variant reported in 12 provinces and territories; however, these cases likely represent just the tip of the iceberg.
• The latest provincial and territorial data show that an average of 1,892 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent 7-day period (Dec 23-29), which is 23% higher than last week. This includes, on average, 476 people who were being treated in intensive care units (ICU), 3.7% more than last week and an average of 22 deaths were reported daily (Dec 23-29).
• A large number of Canadians have reported increased feelings of loneliness and declines in their mental health over the pandemic. Be kind and compassionate with yourself. Try reaching out to a supportive family member or friend to talk about any difficult emotions you may be feeling, or consider getting outside for a bit of fresh air and exercise. These are just a few ways to promote positive mental health and well-being.
• The number of cases associated with the Omicron variant of concern has further accelerated around the world and in Canada. Accumulating data continue to demonstrate that Omicron is the most highly transmissible variant to date and that prior immunity, either from vaccination with a two-dose primary series or previous infection, does not offer good protection against infection. There may be some protection against severe disease after two doses, but this remains uncertain. Importantly, getting a booster dose when eligible, with either the Pfizer Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax mRNA vaccines, is expected to help restore protection that may have waned since the second dose.
• Canadians are urged to continue to reduce their contacts as much as possible.

Statement from the Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health (CCMOH): COVID-19 vaccination and the Omicron variant

• Omicron is likely to be a dominant variant circulating in the population for months to come, and it will be important to optimize protection over the longer term.
• While data remains limited at this time, there is emerging evidence that two doses of a mRNA vaccine are less effective at preventing Omicron infection compared to previous variants but does indicate good protection against more severe disease requiring hospitalization.
• While we do not know how long protection from boosters will last, this is an important tool at this time to help protect our collective progress against COVID-19 and preserve health care system capacity. Receiving the booster dose is expected to provide a reasonable level of protection against infection (at least in the short term) and substantial protection against severe illness.
• High vaccine coverage for both primary series and booster doses will help to protect the capacity of our health care system in the face of the possible impact of Omicron.

Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit

• As part of Bill C-2, the Government of Canada introduced the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) to provide targeted income support to workers who are unable to work due to COVID-19 public health lockdowns.
• On December 22, the Government of Canada announced that, on a temporary basis from December 19, 2021 to February 12, 2022, COVID-19 public health orders restricting public access to businesses by at least 50 per cent would be included under the definition of a lockdown order. That means that people who temporarily lose their jobs or have a 50 per cent or more reduction in earnings because of a designated COVID-19 lockdown in their region could be eligible for the CWLB.
• Expanded access to CWLB is now in effect and Canadians in designated regions affected by lockdowns or qualifying capacity restrictions can apply for the benefit.

Government of Canada announces additional measures to contain the spread of the Omicron variant

• Beginning Dec 21, the federal government will reinstate the requirement for a pre-arrival negative PCR test result for all travellers leaving the country for less than 72 hours.
• As of December 15, the Government of Canada is advising Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada.

Amendments to the Criminal Code to protect health care workers and people seeking access to health services

• On December 17, 2021, Bill C-3, which amends the Criminal Code to enhance protections for health care workers, those who assist them, and those accessing health care services, received Royal Assent.
• The amendments to the Criminal Code create a new intimidation offence targeting those who use fear to stop a health care worker or those who assist them from performing their duties or to prevent a person from obtaining health services. A specific offence is also created to prohibit obstructing any person from accessing health facilities. In addition, new sentencing provisions will require courts to consider more serious penalties for offenders who target health care workers or who impede others from obtaining health services. These amendments come into force 30 days after Royal Assent.

Modelling projections for opioid-related deaths during the COVID-19 outbreak

• The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) released new modelling projections of the number of opioid-related deaths that may occur over the course of the coming months. The results of the model suggest that, under some scenarios, the number of opioid-related deaths may remain high and may even increase through to June 2022.

Government of Canada proposing to provide one-time payment to support low-income seniors who received pandemic benefits

• The Government of Canada recognizes that some GIS and Allowance recipients are now facing lower benefit payments this year because of the income they received from these pandemic benefits. Therefore, the Government is proposing to issue an automatic one-time payment which would reimburse affected GIS and Allowance recipients who faced a reduction or loss of GIS benefits in July 2021.

HPEPH

Media Release: Changes to COVID-19 testing eligibility and isolation requirements will help prioritize resources where they are needed most

• Testing changes
  • Publicly-funded PCR testing are only available for high-risk individuals who are symptomatic and/or are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19, including for the purposes of confirming a COVID-19 diagnosis to begin medical treatment, and workers and residents in the highest risk settings, as well as vulnerable populations. A full list of eligible individuals can be found here.
  • Individuals with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 are presumed positive and they should follow isolation and/or self-monitoring guidelines.
  • Testing for asymptomatic contacts of cases is generally no longer recommended, except for high-risk contacts/individuals that are part of confirmed or suspected outbreaks in high-risk settings, as recommended by public health.
  • Positive rapid antigen tests will no longer require PCR confirmation
• Isolation changes
  • Based on the latest scientific evidence, individuals who are fully vaccinated, as well as children under 12, are required to isolate for five days following the onset of symptoms. This also applies to their household contacts.
  • The isolation can end after five days if symptoms are resolved or improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if the symptoms affect the digestive system), and all public health and safety measures, such as masking and physical distancing, are followed.
  • If you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, are fully vaccinated, have no symptoms and don’t live with the positive case, you are advised to self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days since you last interacted with the case and adhere to all public health measures when outside your home.
  • Individuals who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or immunocompromised are required to isolate for 10 days.
  • Individuals who work or live in high-risk health care settings can return to work after 10 days from their last exposure or symptom onset, or from their date of diagnosis.
  • To ensure sufficient staffing levels, workers will have the opportunity to return to work after isolating for seven days based on a negative PCR test on day 6, or two negative rapid antigen tests at 6 and 7 days.

Media Release: Limited supply of Pfizer vaccine will be prioritized for individuals aged 29 and under – steady supply of Moderna vaccine remains available

• Momentum to deliver booster vaccinations will continue, as most clinics in the HPEPH region will be able to offer Moderna vaccine, and the Pfizer vaccine that is available will be prioritized for individuals who are 18 to 29 years old. This prioritization is in alignment with provincial recommendations to offer Pfizer to this age group to reduce risk for pericarditis or myocarditis.
• There is adequate supply of Moderna vaccine for adult third dose and clinics will continue to run at full capacity. Please note individuals 30 years of age and older may be offered Moderna vaccine as their third dose – and all individuals are encouraged to take advantage of their booked appointment for a booster dose, regardless of the vaccine offered.
• The Paediatric Pfizer vaccine dose for 5 to 11 years of age is still available and will continue to be offered at the clinics for this age group.

Useful Links

• Ontario's Roadmap to Reopen
• HPEPH COVID-19 Vaccine Booking and Eligibility web page
• HPEPH COVID-19 General Information
• HPEPH COVID-19 Information for Health Care Providers
• How Ontario is responding to COVID-19
• Public Health Ontario - COVID-19
• Canada.ca - COVID-19

We want to ensure this bulletin is as useful as possible. Please send your questions, comments and suggestions to communications@hpeph.ca

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