No images? Click here In This Issue - April 2020
MESSAGE: Dr. Gayane Hovhannisyan, Acting Associate Medical Officer of HealthIn this special April edition of the Physicians' Newsletter we will again share important updates related to COVID-19 in Niagara and highlight some programs that are available to support your patients during this time. I want to start by thanking you for your commitment to the people of Niagara during this unprecedented and challenging time. We know that it is not business as usual and that there are added challenges to providing care safely. However it is important now more than ever that patients have access to their primary care provider. So thank you! I want to share some early signs of success we are having with COVID-19. One of the measures we look at to understand how quickly an outbreak is spreading is how quickly case counts are doubling. As you know, a short doubling time means that cases are spreading quickly. At the beginning of April, we were seeing cases double every 2 to 3 days. This has since slowed to about every 24 days in the Niagara region. This illustrates the effectiveness of public health measures, such as physical distancing, isolation of cases and contacts, outbreak control, and enhanced testing to slow the spread of infection. Also, don't forget to check the list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) on our website regularly. We continue to update the FAQ section as new questions arise throughout this evolving pandemic and provide links to the most reliable websites. As we continue to work together to serve the people of Niagara, we would like to emphasize the importance of self-care and mental health. Wishing you all good health! UPDATE: May 1 is Doctors Day!May 1 is recognized as Doctors Day in Ontario. Whether it be in a hospital, a clinic, a long-term care home, or a patients home, every day in Ontario 40,000+ physicians and medical students work tirelessly to improve the health of more than 340,000 patients. This year the Ontario Medical Association is looking to "shine a light for all they do" on May 1 at 9 p.m. and has shared a campaign to encourage people to show their appreciation for all that physicians are doing on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially in this uncharted time, we want to take a moment to extend our thanks and appreciation and to acknowledge the dedicated and compassionate care that physicians provide. Thank you for your leadership and advocacy to promote and provide high quality care for patients living in the Niagara Region. UPDATE: Public Health Information LinePublic Health nurses continue to be available to take your call through the COVID-19 Info Line Monday to Friday, 9:15 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. and weekends until 4:15 p.m. Call 905-688-8248, press 7, then press 1 for physicians and health care professionals. A live chat option with a nurse also continues to be available for your patients in 90 different languages with auto-translate. REVIEW: Surveillance and TestingAs of April 23, we had 412 cases among Niagara Residents, of which 158 are resolved. Sadly, we had 34 deaths, the majority in long-term care homes (LTCH) and retirement homes. To view the most up-to-date COVID-19 statistics in Niagara, please take a look at our interactive data web site. The Ministry of Health has made available the most up-to-date testing recommendations and priority groups. Our goal in Niagara is to test all symptomatic individuals who have COVID-19 compatible symptoms. Please call our health care professional line if you would like to refer your symptomatic patients for testing. Testing of asymptomatic individuals is not routinely recommended. COVID-19 is a disease of public health significance and must be reported to Public Health. If you are testing a patient for COVID-19, please notify Public Health immediately by calling 905-688-8248, press 7, then press 1 or toll-free 1-888-505-6074. REVIEW: Parent Support During COVID-19Niagara Parents is working hard to ensure uninterrupted provision of service to Niagara residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize that during this time, there may be added stress on parents and families as a result of schools being closed, social distancing requirements and financial strain. We encourage you to inform your clients that Niagara Parents is available to answer questions and provide reliable advice about pregnancy, newborn care, infant feeding, child or parental mental health concerns, and community supports. Individuals can connect with a public health nurse at Niagara Parents Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Niagara Parents is still offering:
To make a referral complete the Public Health Child and Family Health Supports Referral Form For more information, please contact Niagara Parents at 905-684-7555 or 1-888-505-6074 ext.7555 REVIEW: Smoking and Vaping During COVID-19Smoking and vaping may make your patients more vulnerable to effects of COVID-19. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues worldwide, there a growing body of evidence suggesting possible connections between lung damage caused by smoking or vaping and increased vulnerability to the novel coronavirus. For more information on the latest evidence, please visit Ontario Tobacco Research Unit’s (OTRU) evidence brief, which provides an overview of currently available evidence, including peer-reviewed literature, statements from hospitals and other health organizations, and news articles. It remains as important as ever to encourage your clients to quit smoking. Patients looking for free and local support to quit smoking can call Niagara Region Public Health’s Tobacco Hotline at 1-905-688-8248 ext. 7393. MEDICAL ADVISORIES & MEMOS Refer to Public Health's Health Care Professionals website to access the most recent medical advisories and memos. Receive medical advisories and memos electronically from Niagara Region Public Health - subscribe here. |