Board of Health Meeting
Chair Keith Egli – Verbal report
November 2, 2020
I would like to begin my verbal update this evening by
thanking families for their efforts in celebrating recent holidays – both
Thanksgiving and Halloween – differently this year in order to reduce the risk
of COVID-19 transmission in our community. We
know it isn’t easy and we appreciate the thought and creativity that went into
making these celebrations safer.
I would also like to thank local
businesses for their cooperation in the face of the latest Provincial
restrictions that saw Ottawa move to a modified Stage 2. Businesses have put a
lot of thought, effort and resources into ensuring safer operations and they
have sacrificed a lot. Not only do small businesses make our communities more
vibrant and welcoming, they are also the backbone of our economy. For these
reasons, we are also grateful to residents for continuing to support local
businesses in any way they can – whether it’s by bundling up to enjoy a meal or
drink on a patio, ordering take-out, purchasing gift cards for later use,
shopping local as we move into the holiday season, or sharing a link to a local
business’s website or social media account. Every little bit helps and we thank
you all for sticking with us during these challenging times.
Council extension of the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law
As Members know, the previous extension to the Temporary
Mask By-law, approved by City Council this past summer, was set to expire on
October 31st. For this reason, on Wednesday of last week, City
Council approved a motion to extend the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law until
the day after its first regular meeting of 2021.
The rationale for adopting the By-law this past summer
was based on increasing evidence that wearing a mask when in enclosed public
spaces is an important measure in reducing COVID-19 transmission, particularly
in situations where physical distancing may be difficult.
Given recent trends with the number of people testing
positive for COVID-19 in our community and the risk of transmission being
ever-present, City Council felt that the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law
continued to provide a reasonable, practicable and effective method of limiting
the spread of infection for the health, safety and well-being of Ottawa
residents.
As has been stated before, mask-use in areas where
physical distancing is difficult to maintain is an important part of our
critical public health measures, - as are physical distancing, good
hand-hygiene and staying home when sick.
Ottawa Community Action
Plan Virtual Summit
Through the pandemic, data
from hospitals, community services and surveys have highlighted that Ottawa
residents are experiencing worsened mental health and emotional well-being,
loneliness, weaker community connectedness, and elevated risks related to
substance use, opioids and suicide.
It is very important to
highlight that in addition to the ongoing mental health support OPH has
continued to provide during the pandemic response, there is important work
continuing to reduce the harms of substance use. An important piece to
this work is the upcoming Ottawa Community Action Plan Virtual Summit.
In 2019, more than 200
community members, came together to share ideas and make a plan to
reduce the impacts of the opioid and substance use crisis in Ottawa. Together,
the Ottawa Community Action Plan was created and since then, diverse
community and national partners have continued to lead on the actions outlined
in the plan. Great progress has been made in some areas and
others require our renewed energy and commitment to move forward in a world
that is drastically different than it was just a year ago.
To support the goals and
actions in the Ottawa Community Action Plan, Ottawa Public Health, The Royal,
the Community Addictions Peer Support Association, the Canadian Centre on
Substance Use and Addiction, and the Canadian Public Health Association will be
hosting the Ottawa Community Action Plan Virtual Summit on November 20th 2020,
from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
I encourage board members
to participate in this important event and look forward to providing a further
update on it at our next Board of Health meeting.
Safer Supply Funding
Another important piece to
share with the Board is the recent announcement
of funding for the Safer Supply Ottawa
Program through Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions
Program.
OPH, along with its
partners - Pathways to Recovery, Recovery Care, Ottawa Inner City
Health, Respect RX Pharmacy, the Somerset West Community Health Centre
(CHC) and Sandy Hill CHC - strongly believe that this program will save lives
and better the conditions for individuals who are dependent on the illegal,
toxic drug supply.
As evidenced in emergency
department data and National mortality rates, the opioid crisis continues
to cause significant harm at a population level and has been further impacted
by the increasingly toxic illicit drug supply. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated
many of the issues faced by members of our community who use
drugs.
It
is also evident that an alternative approach is required to reach individuals
whose needs are not currently
met by more traditional programs and services.
We
want to thank Health Canada for their commitment and leadership in helping us
address this problem.
That concludes my verbal update. I’d be happy to take any
questions.
Board of Health Meeting
Dr. Vera Etches – Verbal report
November 2, 2020
Good evening, Kwey, Aingai, Taanishi, Bonsoir,
In tonight’s Verbal Report, I will provide updates on a
recent City Council decision on climate action, our fall influenza immunization
campaign, the work of local Ontario Health Teams, and Ministry reporting
requirements. I will end with outlining the new approach we need to be taking
to learn to live with COVID, to coexist with COVID, with caution.
Energy Evolution
Starting with the recent Council decision on climate
action –
Members will be aware that Council declared a climate
emergency in 2019 and approved the Climate Change Master Plan (CCMP) in early
2020, which included short, mid and long-term community targets for reducing greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions. The CCMP identified eight priority actions, to be
implemented over the next five years in order to help achieve Council’s stated
targets. The first of those priority actions was implementation of Energy Evolution, Ottawa’s Community Energy Transition
Strategy.
I am pleased to share with you that, last Wednesday, City
Council unanimously approved Energy Evolution and the associated spending plan.
This is a major step forward as it sets the framework to
achieve Council’s target for reducing GHG emissions by 100% by 2050.
OPH has been a key stakeholder in this Plan to advance the Board’s
strategic priority of Healthy Communities by Design. Reducing GHG emissions
will support health and well-being in terms of reducing respiratory illnesses,
contributing to improved physical and mental health, and supporting a healthier
built and natural environment.
This work also aligns with the direction provided by the
Province through the Ontario Public Health Standards’
Healthy Environments Program Standard and will help inform OPH’s own work on
climate change.
Ce travail s'aligne également avec
l'orientation fournie par la province par le biais de la norme du Programme des
environnements sains des normes de santé publique de l'Ontario et contribuera à
éclairer le travail de SPO sur le changement climatique.
Fall Influenza Immunization Campaign
With respect to our Fall Influenza Immunization Campaign,
OPH-run flu clinics began operating this past Thursday, October 29th,
at 6 fixed locations across the City in order to ensure our ability to
incorporate COVID-related safety measures such as appointments to manage client
flow and avoid crowding, physical distancing in terms of the clinic layout,
enhanced environmental cleaning, staff and client screening, and more.
The goal of this year’s influenza vaccination campaign is
to surpass our previous years percentage of the population who get immunized.
OPH is working to reach individuals who are at greatest risk, including those
facing barriers accessing the influenza vaccine. This year, our immunization
outreach to those living in congregate settings, such as group homes and
shelters, has increased by over 50% compared to last year. We are pleased with
the uptake so far. Demand continues to be high for flu vaccine this year and
over 200,000 vaccine doses have been distributed to providers, including
physicians, hospitals and long-term care facilities in the City. More than 6,200
residents were vaccinated in the first 4 days in the OPH community clinics.
Currently, there are two types of vaccines available as part of Ontario’s
Universal Influenza Immunization Program, high dose TIV and standard dose QIV.
The idea that people over 65 need to have the high-dose vaccine or should wait
to be vaccinated if the high-dose vaccine is not available is a myth. Both the
quadrivalent QIV and high-dose trivalent TIV vaccines protect against the flu
and the most important thing is for older adults to be immunized.
Nous sommes heureux de l'intérêt manifesté jusqu'à
présent. La demande de vaccin antigrippal reste élevée cette année et plus de
200 000 doses de vaccin ont été distribuées aux prestataires, notamment aux
médecins, aux hôpitaux et aux établissements de soins de longue durée de la
ville. Plus de 6 200 résidents ont été vaccinés au cours des 4 premiers jours
dans les cliniques communautaires de SPO.
I would like to thank the City of Ottawa Parks,
Recreation and Culture and Ottawa Public Library for providing our flu clinic
venues. I would also like to thank the many city departments that have provided
us with 50 staff to support this year’s influenza immunization campaign.
Local Ontario Health Teams
Moving on to the work of local Ontario Health Teams, as
mentioned at our September meeting, Ontario Health Teams are an important
vehicle for shaping our COVID-19 response and meeting the health needs of local
communities.
We know there are residents whose socio-economic
circumstances create barriers to preventing COVID-19 infection and
transmission. The Ottawa Health Team has responded by creating a process to
identify individuals who face language, financial or other barriers, and refer
them to Community Health Centres (CHCs) for additional support. These supports
include access to testing, shelter and housing, food, and mental health
services, to name a few. This will ensure that people who face barriers to
testing and/or who cannot easily self-isolate are enabled to do so.
OPH is identifying people who could benefit from this
additional support and providing that information to the CHCs. We will continue
to refine and expand this process in the weeks ahead.
SPO identifie les personnes qui pourraient bénéficier de
ce soutien supplémentaire et fournit ces informations aux centres de santé
communautaires. Nous continuerons à affiner et à étendre ce processus dans les
semaines à venir.
Also, through the Ottawa Health Team, OPH’s Neighbourhood
Engagement Team is working directly with CHCs and other local agencies within
communities most impacted by COVID-19. This collaboration is facilitating
additional allocation of resources to the community and providing a channel for
communities to express their needs. A recent Community Conversation, hosted by
the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP), was a forum to share data from
OPH and to build understanding of the experience of racialized and immigrant
communities and discuss ways we can work together to reduce challenges to health
within these communities. OPH is working closely with OLIP to enhance our
internal capacity to work alongside community members
Ministry of Health Requirements for reporting on
Standards Activity
Next, I’ll provide a brief update on Ministry of Health
reporting requirements.
The Ontario
Public Health Standards (OPHS) identify the expectations for public health
programs and services to be delivered by Ontario’s local boards of health.
Boards of health are accountable for implementing the standards, including the
protocols and guidelines that are referenced therein. The OPHS includes an accountability framework,
which sets out the Ministry’s expectations of boards of health to promote a transparent
and effective accountability relationship. The Accountability Framework is
supported by a number of planning and reporting requirements, which public
health units (PHUs) are required to submit to the Ministry according to
established timelines. Board Members may recall that last year, we brought
forward reports in April and September to inform the Board on our reporting to
the Ministry.
This year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the
Ministry amended the requirements and timelines for submitting our report,
which has in turn affected our timelines for reporting to you, our Board.
We are currently preparing a report, to be submitted to
the Ministry of Health by November 13, 2020, that will identify the most
important risks faced by our health unit this year, the potential severity of
these risks, as well as a plan with strategies to mitigate their impact.
Board Members won’t be surprised to learn that, for 2020,
the risks we will be reporting are largely related to the COVID-19 response. We
will be identifying financial pressures arising from the need to respond
effectively to the ongoing pandemic. We will also be reporting on demands
related to technology and IT systems for real-time data generation and
reporting, communications, the requirements associated with supporting a mobile
workforce, and taking advantage of emerging technologies. Lastly, we will be
reporting on the very real human resource impacts of the demanding and uniquely
challenging work and workforce fatigue.
Given the timelines and competing demands, work on this
analysis is ongoing. As such, we will make our submission to the Province on
the November 13th deadline and bringing forward a report to the
Board at the November 30th meeting to provide more detailed
information on risks to the organization.
COVID-19
Now, I will give some time to COVID-19 again. I have
written to the Mayor describing the need for a new approach to the pandemic
response, for the sake of the population’s health. We need to be learning to
live with COVID, to coexist with COVID, with caution.
As Members know, on October 9th, the
Government of Ontario announced additional public health measures in Toronto,
Ottawa and Peel Region. These modified Stage 2 restrictions came into effect
October 10th and are to be in place for a minimum of 28 days, and
are to be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Among other things, these restrictions include a
reduction of the limits on social gatherings, the prohibition of indoor food
and drink service in restaurants, bars and other food establishments, and the
closure of certain types of facilities, including gyms and fitness centres,
casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments, cinemas and performing
arts venues.
As we approach the 28-day mark since these new
restrictions came into effect, I have suggested to the province that we find a
more balanced approach for the way forward. The approach I am recommending is that
we learn to coexist with COVID, with care.
The
goals of the response to the pandemic continue to be to minimize
hospitalizations and death, as well as societal disruption.
Through September and earlier in October, we were seeing
a significant rise in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 in
Ottawa and hospitalizations increasing. However, I am pleased to share with you
that, based on more recent data, the rapid rise seen earlier this fall has been
stabilized. It’s important that each of us keep working hard to bring levels
lower still in order to avoid outbreaks and deaths, particularly in our most
vulnerable settings such as long-term care and retirement homes, shelters and
other congregate settings. Lowering the local rates of community spread will
also help us keep our school communities safer and avoid overwhelming our
hospitals and health care sector.
Je suis heureuse de
partager avec vous que, sur la base de données plus récentes, la hausse rapide
observée au début de l'automne s'est stabilisée. Il est important que chacun
d'entre nous continue à travailler fort pour faire baisser encore les niveaux
afin d'éviter les éclosions et les décès, en particulier dans nos milieux les
plus vulnérables comme les maisons de retraite et les foyers de soins de longue
durée, les refuges et autres lieux de rassemblement. La réduction des taux de
propagation au niveau local nous aidera également à garder nos communautés
scolaires plus sécuritaires et à éviter de surcharger nos hôpitaux et notre
secteur des soins de santé.
The
rate of people testing positive for COVID-19 and the viral load measured in our
wastewater started to stabilize during the second half of October. This
suggests that the efforts of the people of Ottawa to keep distanced from people
outside their households, wear masks indoors and also outdoors when proper
distancing is not possible, keep their hands clean and stay home when they are
sick are making a difference. The modified stage 2 closures reduced the
incidence of close contacts in higher risk settings and supported declining
levels of virus in the community. Going forward, the emphasis must remain on
the importance of individuals doing their part with businesses reopening.
The
rationale for continuing measures to limit COVID-19 transmission includes: the
per cent of people testing positive for COVID-19 has not declined and is still
sitting at 2.7%, with some areas of the city with even higher rates; the number
of outbreaks remains high, leading to hospitalizations and deaths; and the
potential for rapid virus spread remains if we let our guard down and become
complacent, given the ongoing widespread incidence of the virus and the lack of
any significant population immunity.
The
rationale to adjust measures to enable businesses to open or ramp up their operations
includes some signs that the majority of people in Ottawa are and will do their
part to limit COVID-19 transmission as asked when the situation is serious;
negative impacts on the health of the population from the unemployment and
closure of businesses resulting from the pandemic; and peoples’ need to have
supports that will help them live with COVID-19 through the winter and for the
foreseeable future at a time when reported mental health challenges are high
and there is no end in sight for the pandemic.
I have looked at the levels of unemployment resulting
from the COVID-19 pandemic response, indicators of the mental health of our
community, and the challenges arising from a backlog in surgical and medical
procedures and I am concluding that more needs to be done to enable people to
return to more of the usual supports and services in their lives.
Similar to how schools are able to be open with
precautions in place, businesses should be able to open with precautions in
place. People should be able to learn to live with COVID-19, with caution.
As the colder weather approaches and people start
spending more time indoors, OPH is shifting its communications strategy a bit,
for a few reasons.
When people spend more time indoors, mask use becomes
increasingly important. It’s especially important for people to know how to
wear their mask properly. To that end, OPH has created a poster and video to
help residents learn how to wear their mask effectively to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We will be sharing these
resources regularly through our various channels over the coming days, weeks
and months and we encourage Board Members to also share this content with your
various networks. Our hope is that socializing this content will help residents
continue to develop good habits with respect to effective mask use, including
how to safely put on, remove and store their masks.
Outdoor activities are good
for both physical and mental health and are usually safer than indoor
activities in terms of reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission. For this
reason, OPH is developing and disseminating content to encourage residents to
get outside, play and have fun over the winter months, as well as information
on how to do so safely. Our hope is that encouraging people to partake in
outdoor winter activities will not only promote better physical and mental
health, but that it will also help combat COVID-fatigue.
Les activités de plein air
sont bonnes pour la santé physique et mentale et posent généralement moins de
risques que les activités intérieures en termes de transmission de la COVID-19.
C'est pourquoi SPO élabore et diffuse des messages visant à encourager les
résidents à sortir, à jouer et à s'amuser dehors pendant les mois d'hiver,
ainsi que des informations sur la façon de le faire en toute sécurité. Nous
espérons que le fait d'encourager les gens à participer à des activités
hivernales en plein air favorisera non seulement une meilleure santé physique
et mentale, mais aidera également à combattre la fatigue liée à la COVID-19.
OPH, in collaboration with
local hospitals, just launched a COVID campaign called: one MILLION reasons. We
all have our reasons to stop the spread. We are 1 million people strong and the
actions of individuals DO make a difference. Radio ads started on a dozen or so
radio stations this morning – you may have already heard it. In addition, we
produced video versions of these radio ads, which will launch tomorrow on
social media. The team is also working on more products in other languages in
the coming weeks.
(play video)
In conclusion, I want the people of Ottawa to know that
we can do this, we can learn to coexist with COVID, with care. The health of
our population depends on it.
That concludes my verbal report. I would be happy to take
any questions.
Cela conclut mon rapport verbal. Il me fera plaisir de
répondre à vos questions.