In This Issue - March 2023

UPDATE:
- Incorporate Fluoride Varnish into Your Practice
- Quit Smoking Support from Local Pharmacies
- Resumed Availability of Erythromycin Ophthalmic Ointment
REVIEW:
- MPox Update from MOH
- Respiratory Surveillance
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
- FREE TRAINING: Breast Feeding - Making a Difference Level 1
- FREE WEBINAR: RNAO Mental Health and Addiction Webinar: Harm reduction in acute care: Let's talk!
- FREE COURSE: CARD System

UPDATE: Incorporate Fluoride Varnish into Your Practice

Dental caries are the most common chronic disease in childhood. In Niagara, dental decay rates within elementary students have stayed consistent at approximately 36%. During the 2021 - 2022 school screenings, dental caries were found in:

23% of junior kindergarten students
32% of senior kindergarten students
49% of grade 2 students

Public Health offers a FREE Fluoride Varnish Program for primary care practices to provide accessible fluoride varnish treatments during well-child visits for those five and under. Fluoride varnish is a protective coating that is painted on children's teeth to help reduce dental caries by 30 to 35%.

Why Enroll

No fluoridation of water in Niagara
Many dentists do not see children until they reach 3 years old which means Primary Care Providers have more and early access
Quick, preventative wellness
Fluoride varnish can be applied by a physician or other staff in the primary care practice

What to Expect from the Program

Staff training on oral health education and fluoride varnish application by a registered dental hygienist
Free varnish for patients

To learn how your practice can participate, please contact the Dental Program.

UPDATE: Quit Smoking Support from Local Pharmacies

Healthcare providers can now refer patients to a local pharmacy to receive up to 12 weeks of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and counselling. Public Health has partnered with 6 pharmacies for a limited time, to offer this program to those 18 years of age and older who smoke cigarettes and would like to quit.

Referrals can be made by a healthcare provider by completing the referral form or by providing a patient with self-referral tear off sheet.

To order quit smoking resources, visit the online order form and find resources under ‘tobacco’.

UPDATE: Resumed Availability of Erythromycin Ophthalmic Ointment

Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment is now readily available for distribution and routine administration of the ophthalmic prophylaxis to the eyes of newborns should resume. This marks the end of a national shortage of this prophylaxis ointment.

Case-by-case administration based on individual risk assessment should be stopped, in favour of routine administration. Healthcare providers are urged to ensure they have an adequate supply of erythromycin ophthalmic ointment to return to routine administration.

Please find more information from Public Health Sudbury and District, who released formal communication on the matter.

UPDATE: MPox Update from MOH

The Ministry of Health recently released a new resource on mpox to provide key information and recent updates to health care providers. There have been new cases of mpox in Ontario since January 2023 with no clear epidemiological link, and cases continue to occur globally.

Health care providers should keep mpox on their differential diagnosis and have a low threshold to test at-risk groups with compatible signs and symptoms.

To report confirmed or suspect cases of mpox to NRPH call

905-688-8248 ext. 7330
Toll free: 1-888-505-6074
Emergency after-hours: 905-984-3690

Health care providers should also continue to promote first and second dose vaccination to eligible individuals.

With increased travel expected over the coming months, it is strongly recommended that eligible individuals complete their vaccine series at least a couple of weeks prior to traveling.

Eligible individuals can book their first or second dose of Imvamune at a Public Health vaccination clinic by calling 905-688-8248 ext. 7425 or 1-800-263-7248.

REVIEW: Respiratory Surveillance

Surveillance Update: Influenza activity is low

Public Health Ontario’s most recent respiratory laboratory surveillance data indicates activity for both influenza A and influenza B is low
Provincially, Enterovirus/Rhinovirus is the most commonly-circulating virus
In Niagara, there are 991 cases of influenza so far this season; 19,937 across Ontario

2022-2023 Respiratory Season

Data source: Public Health Ontario’s Ontario Respiratory Pathogen Bulletin, data as of March 18, 2023. Please note: Coronavirus refers to non-pandemic human coronaviruses, not the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Niagara reports flu activity surveillance information weekly on Fridays. For more detail on the 2022 to 2023 respiratory season, please visit Public Health Ontario’s page for the Ontario Respiratory Pathogen Bulletin.

Free Training: Breastfeeding - Making a Difference (Level 1)

When: 2 Day Virtual Course April 26 & May 2, 2023

Where: Live Virtual Training (Zoom)

Registration Deadline: April 21, 2023.

Keynote Speaker: Kathy O’Grady Venter, RN, IBCLC, Lactation Consultant, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, BFI Assessor for the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada, and Educator for Quintessence Foundation will provide this opportunity on Zoom.

Note: Participants must attend both session dates and may be eligible to receive IBLCE CERPS (Continuing Education Recognition Points).

Training Highlights:

This training is provided at no cost to the participant
There will be a panel presentation and Q & A with individuals who have lived experience breastfeeding

Learning Objectives:

Assessment: identify early breastfeeding problems for healthy term infants and infants with health challenges or special needs
Management: provide effective and confident care that facilitates the initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding
Support: develop comprehensive care plans for the breastfeeding dyad and enhanced awareness of community based supports
Explore best practices regarding skin-to-skin, caloric intake, milk supply, alternative feeding methods and equipment, and frequent, early removal of breastmilk

The event is live for registration on the Professional Development Opportunities Page .

-------------------

Free Webinar: RNAO Mental Health and Addiction Webinar: Harm reduction in acute care: Let's talk!

When: April 18, 2023

In what some call, the “post-pandemic,” the overdose crisis remains an epidemic. Nurses play an integral role in harm reduction, and save lives that would be otherwise needlessly lost.

Harm reduction is a foundational component of nursing practice that aims to reduce the adverse health, social and economic consequences of the use of legal and illegal psychoactive drugs without necessarily reducing drug consumption.

Harm reduction has been proven effective time and time again across the health care continuum, including in acute care settings, which can prove particularly challenging.

This webinar will provide

A general overview of the philosophy of harm reduction
Clarity to the role of harm reduction in acute care
Practical strategies for integration of harm reduction principles into acute care practice.

Click here to register.

-------------------

FREE Online Course – Using the CARD System^TM to improve the vaccine experience for kids and adolescents

The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is offering a free online course for family physicians and clinical care providers to introduce the CARD System^TM, which was developed to decrease immunization stress-related responses associated with the administration of vaccines.

Access the module here (note: for access to the CPHA Learning Site and the course, you first need to create an account).

MEDICAL ADVISORIES AND MEMOS

March 27 MEMO: Previously Exposed Vaccines
March 10 MEDICAL ADVISORY: Recent Travel-Related Measles Cases in Ontario
February 23 MEDICAL ADVISORY: Temporary Interruption in Supply of Moderna Spikevax monovalent 25 mcg vaccine (6 months – 4 years of age)

Not yet subscribed? Receive medical advisories and memos electronically from Niagara Region Public Health - subscribe here.