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COVID-19 Resources for Health Care Providers

A provincewide shutdown is in effect as of Saturday, April 3 at 12:01 a.m. The public health measures in O. Reg 82/20 (français) under the Reopening Ontario Act, 2020 apply. Learn more about the shutdown measures (francais).

As of Thursday, April 8 at 12:01 a.m., a Stay-at-Home Order (francais) is in effect for all of Ontario. The order requires everyone to remain at home except for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services (including getting vaccinated, for outdoor exercise, or for work that cannot be done remotely.

On December 10, 2020 Dr. Kieran Moore, Medical Officer of Health at KFL&A Public health issued a Class Order pursuant to section 22 of the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act, 1990 to all owners and operators providing Community and Home Care Services in KFL&A.

Health care and allied health workers need to contact either their own health care provider or their occupational health department for return to work guidance.

COVID-19 is a reportable disease under the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Health care providers are required to immediately report all persons under investigation, probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19 to KFL&A Public Health at 613-549-1232 (during business hours) or 613-507-3100 (after hours and holidays). This includes any person who has been tested for COVID-19.

KFL&A Public Health will take actions to protect the public and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Resources

Vaccination

Toolkit for Health Care Providers - Public Health Agency of Canada
Vaccines for COVID-19 - Public Health Agency of Canada
COVID-19 Resources - canVAX
COVID-19 Vaccines - Centre for Effective Practice (CEP)
Common questions about COVID-19 - Immunize Canada
Reported side effects following COVID-19 vaccination in Canada - Public Health Agency of Canada
Adverse event following immunization reporting for health care providers in Ontario (PDF) - Public Health Ontario
COVID-19 Vaccine-Relevant Information and Planning Resources - Ontario Ministry of Health
Recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines - National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) Statement
COVID-19 Vaccines - Public Health Ontario
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine monograph (PDF)
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine monograph (PDF)

Local epidemiology

Updates about the status of cases in KFL&A.
Updates about the status of cases in Ontario is available on the Ministry of Health.

Environmental Cleaning – Clinical setting

The Public Health Agency of Canada has developed the following guidance related to environmental cleaning of clinical settings during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

What to do:

Increase frequency of cleaning of high-touch surfaces to control the spread of microorganisms during a respiratory infection outbreak, such as COVID-19.

What to use:

Environmental cleaning products registered in Canada with a Drug Identification Number (DIN) and labelled as a ‘broad-spectrum virucide’ are sufficient to destroy SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

What to clean and when:

All surfaces, especially those that are horizontal and frequently touched, should be cleaned at least twice daily and when soiled.

Other considerations:

Follow your ‘terminal cleaning’ protocol for cleaning of a patient's room after discharge, transfer or discontinuation of contact and droplet precautions. See Appendix 6 in the Best Practices for Environmental Cleaning for Prevention and Control of Infections in All Health Care Settings, 3rd Edition for a sample ‘terminal cleaning’ procedure.

Ensure rooms have minimal equipment or supplies to help facilitate the environmental cleaning process.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) measures for COVID-19

As guidelines are continuously changing, please check the Ontario Ministry of Health website for all updated directives and memos for health care providers.

The Ontario Ministry of Health recommends Droplet and Contact Precautions in addition to Routine Practices for the routine care of any patient with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. All staff that are required to wear personal protective equipment need to be properly trained in donning and doffing.

The Ontario Ministry of Health recommends that all patients be screened over the phone for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to their appointment. If in-person, a plexiglass barrier can protect staff from droplet and contact spread. It also recommends that signage is displayed requesting patients with symptoms wear a mask, perform hand hygiene upon entering the office, and practice cough etiquette.

Specific IPAC measures include:

Performing hand hygiene (i.e., using alcohol-based hand rub or washing hands with soap and water) before entering and after exiting the patient’s room, and after taking off and disposing of personal protective equipment.
Instruct the patient that if they need to cough or sneeze, to do so into a tissue and clean their hands or cough into their sleeve.
Instruct the patient to wear a surgical or procedure mask if tolerated.
In the community office setting, patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should be placed immediately in a separate room with the door closed.
Conducting examination procedures that minimize contact with droplets or aerosols (i.e., sitting next to rather than in front of a coughing patient).
Wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when caring for a patient with suspected or confirmed COVID-19:

Wear eye protection (goggles or face shield).
Wear gloves and gown.
Wear a surgical or procedure mask.
COVID-19 Guidance for the Health Sector - Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - provides specific health care setting guidance for mask use.
Use Airborne Precautions when aerosol generating medical procedures (AGMPs) are planned or anticipated to be performed on patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

Universal Mask Use is recommended for all Long-Term Care Facilities in Ontario.
View a instructional video on reusing masks.
More information on Aerosol Generating Medical Procedures (AGMPs) and specific Guidance for Acute Care - Ontario Ministry of Health
Cleaning and disinfecting communal or shared equipment after use; pay attention to contact time on the label.
KFL&A Public Health recommends that health care providers become familiar with PIDAC’s "PIDAC Best Practices for Prevention, Surveillance and Infection Control Management of Novel Respiratory Infections in All Health Care Settings".
- Section 3.2 “Personal Protection Equipment and Practices” describes specific infection prevention and control (IPAC) measures for health care providers at risk of direct exposure to patients with suspect or confirmed infection with a novel respiratory agent.
Testing for COVID-19 must be conducted in accordance with provincial guidelines. (PDF) - Ontario Ministry of Health

General resources and information for health care providers

Evidence to support safe return to clinical practice by oral health professionals in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: A report prepared for the office of the Chief Dental Officer of Canada - Government of Canada
Online IPAC courses - Public Health Ontario
COVID-19 Operational requirements - health sector restart (PDF) - Ontario Ministry of Health
Orders, Directives, Memorandums, and other resources (PDF) - Ontario Ministry of Health
Fee Code: Providing Services by Telephone or Video or Working in Designated Assessment Centres - Ontario Medical Association
Synopsis of Key Articles, COVID-19 - Public Health Ontario
How Can You Provide Care Safely During COVID-19? - March 19, 2020 - Ontario Medical Association
COVID-19 Outbreak Update - Public Health Agency of Canada
Situation Reports - Johns Hopkins
Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases Map -Johns Hopkins
Travel Advisories- Government of Canada
COVID-19 and people with disabilities in Canada - Government of Canada

Signage for health care settings

Visit our COVID-19 signage page for distancing signs and visitor notices

Signage for long-term care facilities

Posters for health care settings

2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): What you need to know to help you and your family stay healthy - English (PDF) - Ministry of Health
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): What you need to know to help you and your family stay healthy - French (PDF) - Ministry of Health

Patient information sheets

Infographic on Managing Stress, Anxiety and Substance Use during COVID-19 - Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
COVID-19 awareness factsheets - Government of Canada
Multilingual information sheets (e.g., How to self-monitor, how to self-isolate, and self-isolation: guide for caregivers, household members, and close contacts) - Public Health Ontario

Self-isolation: Guide for caregivers, household members, and close contacts (PDF) - English - Public Health Ontario
Self-isolation: Guide for caregivers, household members, and close contacts(PDF) - French - Public Health Ontario
Self-isolation: Guide for caregivers, household members, and close contacts (PDF) - Chinese - Public Health Ontario
COVID-19 Information for the public - Ministry of Health

Memos to community partners from KFL&A Public Health

COVID-19: Important updates for community partners (PDF) - Dr. Kieran Moore, Medical Officer of Health, KFL&A Public Health
March 4, 2020 - KFL&A Public Health
2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) -KFLAPH
Long-Term Care Homes Sector (PDF)- Brian Pollard, Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations, Ministry of Long-Term Care
Health System Organizations and Providers: Update on COVID-19 Preparations and Actions (PDF) - Ministry of Health

Primary Care update: KFL&A Public Health, March 5, 2020

COVID-19: the virus, transmission, dynamics, and clinical aspects (PDF) - Dr. Gerald A. Evans, MD FRCPC FAMMI. Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control, Kingston Health Sciences Centre. Chair, Division of Infectious Diseases, Queen's University.
Screening and testing preparedness: referral pathway acute respiratory illness assessment centres (PDF) - Dr. Kieran Moore, Medical Officer of Health, KFL&A Public Health.
Current surveillance and epidemiology (PDF) - Dr. Hugh Guan PGY5 Public Health and Preventative Medicine Resident, Queen's University
Personal protective equipment and isolation requirements (PDF) - Laurie Conway, RN, PhD, CIC, KFL&A Public Health

For an accessible version of a resource, please contact KFL&A Public Health