|
Welcome to the December Edition of Public Health Matters!
Public Health Matters is a periodic newsletter from York Region Public Health to health care providers in York Region. In this month’s edition, we provide key updates for you and your patients, Public Health in the news, featured articles and resources and an invitation to an upcoming community event on opioids.
Two Way Communication!
York Region Public Health is asking all family physicians, primary care practitioners and other health care providers to help us help you better understand the health status and health needs of your patients! If you’re receiving Public Health Matters, we want to hear from you about what you’re seeing in your practice!
|
|
|
KEY UPDATES FOR YOU
Current Influenza and COVID-19 Activity in York Region
Influenza activity in York Region may be plateauing, but both influenza and COVID-19 burden on acute care remains very high. An increase in COVID-19 is likely to follow the holiday season in mid-January; check out our recent activity for both influenza and COVID-19 in our line graphs below. Check out the data from our pilot of RSV and influenza wastewater testing. Read more
Clinical Updates
Expanded Access to Oseltamivir for the 2022-2023 Influenza Season
Starting November 30, 2022, the province expanded access to Oseltamivir for the 2022–2023 influenza season for treatment of the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program - eligible persons at high risk of complications from influenza infection. See further details, including reimbursement criteria (pages 8-10).
Expanded Paxlovid Eligibility for Pharmacists to Prescribe and Dispense
Starting December 12, 2022, pharmacists can prescribe Paxlovid to eligible individuals in-person or by phone at no cost. Eligible individuals can contact their local pharmacy to confirm if they prescribe Paxlovid and how to get a prescription for Paxlovid.
Vaccination Updates
- If you are able to offer routine vaccinations to patients not normally in your practice, please let us know by emailing healthprofessionals@york.ca. Many children in York Region, Canada and internationally have fallen behind in routine vaccinations over the last two years of the pandemic. Many of you have helped vaccinate children without a regular family doctor or nurse, but there are still families without access
- Vaccination reporting tear off pads coming soon! Providing your patients with critically important childhood vaccines is one of the most important roles of primary care practitioners in Ontario. In order for those vaccinations to be recorded for attendance at child care or schools later on, and for public health to be able to estimate coverage rates, parents need to report their children’s vaccinations online to York Region Public Health. We will provide your office with tear-off pads with convenient QR codes to make this process seamless and simple
- Ask your teenage patients if they have had their HPV, Men C and Hep B in-schools vaccinations. If they have not, remind them that they can visit our student catch-up immunization clinic. Students in Grades 7 to 12 as well as students who have graduated may continue to be eligible for HPV
- On December 9, 2022, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) updated its recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in children 5 to 11 years of age and concurrent vaccine administration
- Let your patients know York Region’s vaccination clinics are now accepting walk-ins for COVID-19 and flu vaccines. They can also still book an appointment at york.ca/covid19vaccine. It’s not too late to encourage both bivalent COVID-19 boosters and influenza vaccines! Fortunately, this year’s flu vaccine is a good match. Every person, six months of age and older, who gets the flu vaccine this season can make a difference
|
|
KEY UPDATES FOR YOUR PATIENTS
Breastfeeding Support for your patients
Individuals experiencing breast/chestfeeding challenges can receive instruction and support virtually and in person from a Public Health Nurse. Read more
PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE NEWS
Invasive Group A Streptococcal (IGAS) Infections on the Rise
Your patients may ask you about reports of increased rates of invasive group A strep (iGAS) infections in children globally, with at least 16 deaths in the UK and two recent deaths in Montreal. You can reassure them that while Group A strep is a common pathogen, causing a range of clinical syndromes including strep throat, impetigo or cellulitis, it only very rarely causes invasive disease or death. These severe outcomes are more common after a viral respiratory illness such as influenza. This is another reason influenza vaccination is a wise choice this season, even among the very young. Read a CBC Article on Group A Strep Complications.
Invasive Group A Strep is a disease of public health significance that should be reported to York Region Public Health as soon as it is suspected. Please use the Disease of Public Health Significance notification form (complete list on page 2).
Campaign on Strengthening Public Health Systems in Canada
Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) has launched a major advocacy campaign to strengthen Public Health systems in Canada. CPHA calls for governments across Canada to strengthen the structural foundations of Canada’s public health systems, making them cohesive, comprehensive and accountable. Read more
UPCOMING EVENTS
Join us for a Community Forum and Consultation Event about Opioid Harm in York Region
The rate of deaths from opioid overdoses has slowly been increasing since 2015. An unregulated and toxic drug supply is leading to increased poisonings and deaths. In York Region, there were 71 opioid-related deaths in 2021.
Health care providers interested in opioid-related harms or serving people who use drugs/opioids may join our Community Opioid & Drug Response Collaborative (formerly the Opioid Education and Response Workgroup) to discuss the York Region Opioid Action Plan and the next steps to address these harms in York Region. Other community members invited to attend include front-line service providers, people who use/have used substances and friends or family members of people who use/have used substances.
Register here!
In-Person:
|
| Date |
Time |
Location |
| 1 |
January 24, 2023 |
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. |
The Link Event Hall
20849 Dalton Road, Sutton, ON L0E 1R0 |
| 2 |
February 9, 2023 |
9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. |
York Region South Services Centre Room 240 & 241
50 High Tech Road, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4N7 |
Virtual:
|
| 1 |
January 25, 2023 |
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
Online link
to be shared upon registration |
| 2 |
January 25, 2023 |
7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
| 3 |
February 7, 2023 |
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| 4 |
February 7, 2023 |
7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
For more information, contact the Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction Program at substance@york.ca or 1-877-464-9675 ext. 76683.
|
|
Join us for an upcoming Perinatal Mental Health Pathway (PMHP) event on Monday, January 30, 2023
We are hosting a virtual workshop about our online tool, York Region Public Health's Perinatal Mental Health Pathway. This tool helps health care providers to assess their patients for perinatal mood disorders and provide them with appropriate mental health resources in the community.
The virtual workshop will discuss the current state of the mental health supports available in York Region and gain feedback about the PMHP tool to ensure that it is up to date and user friendly. Please email healthconnection@york.ca for an e-invite.
FEATURED ARTICLES
Individuals experiencing breast/chestfeeding challenges can receive instruction and support virtually and in-person from a Public Health Nurse, including:
- Health teaching over the phone
- Virtual videoconferencing appointments with a public health nurse skilled in lactation instruction
- In-person appointments at one of our clinics in Newmarket, Vaughan and Markham
Families with questions about feeding infant formula, introduction to solid foods, consistency and progression of solid foods and healthy food choices can also receive telephone support from Health Connection and make a video-conferencing appointment with a Registered Dietician. All services are free of charge.
Please encourage your patients in York Region to call Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 or reach out via eChat at york.ca/NurseChat.
CURRENT INFLUENZA AND COVID-19 ACTIVITY IN YORK REGION
This season's influenza activity was earlier and higher than in pre-pandemic years and remains well above expected levels typical of this time of year but may be plateauing.
|
|
|
An increase in influenza cases since mid-October coincides with a decrease in COVID-19 cases. Both influenza and COVID-19 activity are currently at elevated levels in York Region. Currently available vaccines are effective against severe infection for both of these pathogens.
|
|
WASTEWATER SURVEILLANCE DATA
In partnership with the University of Ottawa, we have been collecting samples and having them tested for RSV and influenza. This is new technology and in a pilot phase only, but the trends indicate plateauing of levels in York Region.
|
|
|
CPHA's CAMPAIGN ON STRENGTHENING PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEMS IN CANADA
As a first step in this campaign, CPHA’s brief Strengthening Public Health Systems in Canada asks for federal leadership to:
- Underpin systems with a common understanding of core public health functions
- Define a shared set of population health goals to shape services and accountabilities
- Update a detailed, modernized set of public health workforce competencies
- Develop accessible online professional training for the public health workforce
- Reshape governance practices to translate public health efforts and expertise for a greater impact
Get involved with this campaign!
- Read the policy brief and executive summary on the campaign website
- Take action by sharing this campaign with your professional networks; email your MP and Minister of Health, Jean-Yves Duclos, to urge their support and by contributing an op-ed to your local newspaper or an article to your professional newsletter.
More information is available here.
RESOURCES
The New England Journal of Medicine posted this fascinating documentary exploring the controversies surrounding masks and mask mandates throughout the centuries.
CONTACT US
Please contact us at healthprofessionals@york.ca for any non-urgent issues, or if you have a question or comment about this e-bulletin.
For critical reporting or urgent inquiries, you can reach us 24/7 at 1-877-464-9675, Ext. 77280.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
