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COVID-19 in Ottawa Oct. 18, 2020

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OTTAWA —
Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.

Fast Facts:

  • Ottawa sees a slight drop in COVID-19 cases, with 70 new cases on Saturday
  • Young Ottawa residents account for half of Ottawa’s monthly COVID-19 case record
  • COVID-19 measures need to target the root cause of transmission: Dr. Etches
  • Resident of Hawkesbury long-term care home dies due to COVID-19
  • Eastern Ontario Health Unit “strongly recommending” no trick-or-treating on Halloween

Testing:

Who should get a test?

Ottawa Public Health says there are four reasons to seek testing for COVID-19:

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  • You are showing COVID-19 symptoms. OR
  • You have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by Ottawa Public Health or exposure notification through the COVID Alert app. OR
  • You are a resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by Ottawa Public Health. OR
  • You are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care.

Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa:

The COVID-19 assessment centre at 151 Brewer Way is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Appointments are required in most cases but LIMITED walk-up capacity is available.

To book a test for an adult, click here.

CHEO Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena – 151 Brewer Way is open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Testing is available by appointment only.

To book a test for a child under the age of 18, click here.

The COVID-19 care clinic at 595 Moodie Dr. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday for people with escalating symptoms and in need of medical attention.

To book an appointment, click here. 

The COVID-19 care clinic at 1485 Heron Rd. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday for people with escalating symptoms and in need of medical attention.

To book an appointment, click here.

The COVID-19 drive-thru assessment centre at 300 Coventry Road is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

COVID-19 screening tool:

The COVID-19 screening tool for students heading back to in-person classes can be found here.

Symptoms:

Classic Symptoms: fever, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath

Other symptoms: sore throat, difficulty swallow, new loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pneumonia, new or unexplained runny nose or nasal congestion

Less common symptoms: unexplained fatigue, muscle aches, headache, delirium, chills, red/inflamed eyes, croup

Ottawa Public Health reported 70 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Saturday, while the seven-day average dropped compared to the same period last week.

No new deaths were reported on Saturday.

Since the first case of COVID-19 on March 11, there have been 5,969 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 301 deaths.

From Oct. 11 to 17 inclusive, Ottawa saw an average of 85 new COVID-19 cases per day, down from an average of 106 cases per day from Oct. 4-10.

Ottawa set a new record for COVID-19 cases in a single month just 16 days into October, with people under the age of 30 accounting for 48 per cent of all new cases of the virus.

Ottawa Public Health has reported 1,581 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 since Oct. 1. In September, there were 1,413 laboratory-confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in Ottawa.

Statistics available on Ottawa Public Health’s COVID-19 dashboard shows 756 of the 1,581 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 this month involve residents under the age of 30.

There have been 393 cases involving residents ages 20 to 29, a total of 234 cases with residents ages 10 to 19, and 129 cases of COVID-19 involving residents under the age of 10.

Ottawa’s medical officer of health suggests the 28-day shutdown of indoor dining at bars and restaurants and the closing of gyms and movie theatres is a chance to learn more about COVID-19 transmission and how to stop it.

On Oct. 10, the Ontario Government moved Ottawa, Toronto and Peel Region to a modified Stage 2, closing indoor dining at restaurants and bars, movie theatres and gyms for at least 28 days.

CTV News at Six anchor Stefan Keyes asked Dr. Vera Etches Saturday evening if there is any data to suggest the new restrictions have helped reduce COVID-19 transmission in the community.

“I think we need more time. The infections that are being reported now really relate to transmission that happened a couple of weeks ago. So it’s too early to judge the impact of the restrictions,” said Dr. Etches.

“I can tell you there’s lots of thinking about how to target the root of the transmission of the virus and try to keep businesses from being affected as negatively. The root always is what brings us close together, less than two metres away from someone when we’re not wearing a mask indoors. So if we can avoid those kinds of activities with people outside our household that will make a difference.”

The medical officer of health was asked during CTV News at Six Saturday evening if there was a data threshold that could trigger an extension of the COVID-19 restrictions for bars, restaurants, gyms, indoor sports and movie theatres.

“I think we’re still wide open on all of the possibilities of what to do next, in conversation with the province. We want to minimize hospitalizations and deaths, and we certainly are seeing a lot of outbreaks start up because of the level of COVID in our community,” said Dr. Etches.

“We need to bring the level down. We know we need to tackle where transmission is happening and what the biggest contributions are, so it’s not as simple as looking at an extension or not. We want to learn from this period about what the impact is.”

A resident at a long-term care home in Hawkesbury has died due to COVID-19.

The United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) announced the first death related to COVID-19 at the Prescott and Russell Residence on Saturday evening.

“The UCPR extends its sincere sympathies to the family of the resident,” said the UCPR in a statement.”

A total of 35 positive cases of COVID-19 were reported at the long-term care home on Oct. 14, including 27 residents.

Ghosts, goblins and super heroes in Alexandria, Cornwall, Casselman, Hawkesbury, Rockland and other areas of eastern Ontario are being asked to stay home on Halloween night to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit says due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a recent increase in cases, it’s “strongly recommending” residents avoid traditional ways of celebrating Halloween, including no trick-or-treating.

In a statement, the health unit says going out trick-or-treating or handing out treats increases your family’s risk of getting or spreading COVID-19 because it exposes you to others.

Ottawa Halloween

Source: – CTV News Ottawa

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Do you need a spring COVID-19 vaccine? Research backs extra round for high-risk groups

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Recent studies suggest staying up-to-date on COVID shots helps protect high-risk groups from severe illness

New guidelines suggest certain high-risk groups could benefit from having another dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this spring — and more frequent shots in general — while the broader population could be entering once-a-year territory, much like an annual flu shot.

Medical experts told CBC News that falling behind on the latest shots can come with health risks, particularly for individuals who are older or immunocompromised.

Even when the risk of infection starts to increase, the vaccines still do a really good job at decreasing risk of severe disease, said McMaster University researcher and immunologist Matthew Miller.

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Who needs another COVID shot?

Back in January, Canada’s national vaccine advisory body set the stage for another round of spring vaccinations. In a statement (new window), the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) stated that starting in spring 2024, individuals at an increased risk of severe COVID may get an extra dose of the latest XBB.1.5-based vaccines, which better protect against circulating virus variants.

That means:

  • Adults aged 65 and up.
  • Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors.
  • Anyone six months of age or older who is moderately to severely immunocompromised.

The various spring recommendations don’t focus on pregnancy, despite research (new window) showing clear links between a COVID infection while pregnant, and increased health risks. However, federal guidance does note that getting vaccinated during pregnancy can protect against serious outcomes.

Vaccinated people can also pass antibodies to their baby through the placenta and through breastmilk, that guidance states (new window).

What do the provinces now recommend?

Multiple provinces have started rolling out their own regional guidance based on those early recommendations — with a focus on allowing similar high-risk groups to get another round of vaccinations.

B.C. is set to announce guidance on spring COVID vaccines in early April, officials told CBC News, and those recommendations are expected to align with NACI’s guidance.

In Manitoba (new window), high-risk individuals are already eligible for another dose, provided it’s been at least three months since their latest COVID vaccine.

Meanwhile Ontario’s latest guidance (new window), released on March 21, stresses that high-risk individuals may get an extra dose during a vaccine campaign set to run between April and June. Eligibility will involve waiting six months after someone’s last dose or COVID infection.

Having a spring dose is particularly important for individuals at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 who did not receive a dose during the Fall 2023 program, the guidance notes.

And in Nova Scotia (new window), the spring campaign will run from March 25 to May 31, also allowing high-risk individuals to get another dose.

Specific eligibility criteria vary slightly from province-to-province, so Canadians should check with their primary care provider, pharmacist or local public health team for exact guidelines in each area.

WATCH: Age still best determines when to get next COVID vaccine dose, research suggests:

 

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Age still best determines when to get COVID vaccines, new research suggests

It’s been four years since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and new research suggests your age may determine how often you should get a booster shot.

Why do the guidelines focus so much on age?

The rationale behind the latest spring guidelines, Miller said, is that someone’s age remains one of the greatest risk factors associated with severe COVID outcomes, including hospitalization, intensive care admission and death.

So that risk starts to shoot up at about 50, but really takes off in individuals over the age of 75, he noted.

Canadian data (new window) suggests the overwhelming majority of COVID deaths have been among older adults, with nearly 60 per cent of deaths among those aged 80 or older, and roughly 20 per cent among those aged 70 to 79.

People with compromised immune systems or serious medical conditions are also more vulnerable, Miller added.

Will people always need regular COVID shots?

While the general population may not require shots as frequently as higher-risk groups, Miller said it’s unlikely there will be recommendations any time soon to have a COVID shot less than once a year, given ongoing uncertainty about COVID’s trajectory.

Going forward, I suspect for pragmatic reasons, [COVID vaccinations] will dovetail with seasonal flu vaccine campaigns, just because it makes the implementation much more straightforward, Miller said.

And although we haven’t seen really strong seasonal trends with SARS-CoV-2 now, I suspect we’ll get to a place where it’s more seasonal than it has been.

In the meantime, the guidance around COVID shots remains simple at its core: Whenever you’re eligible to get another dose — whether that’s once or twice a year — you might as well do it.

What does research say?

One analysis, published in early March in the medical journal Lancet Infectious Diseases (new window), studied more than 27,000 U.S. patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID, between September and December 2023.

The team found individuals who had an updated vaccine reduced their risk of severe illness by close to a third — and the difference was more noticeable in older and immunocompromised individuals.

Another American research team from Stanford University recently shared the results from a modelling simulation looking at the ideal frequency for COVID vaccines.

The study in Nature Communications (new window) suggests that for individuals aged 75 and up, having an annual COVID shot could reduce severe infections from an estimated 1,400 cases per 100,000 people to around 1,200 cases — while bumping to twice a year could cut those cases even further, down to 1,000.

For younger, healthier populations, however, the benefit of regular shots against severe illness was more modest.

The outcome wasn’t a surprise to Stanford researcher Dr. Nathan Lo, an infectious diseases specialist, since old age has consistently been a risk factor for severe COVID.

It’s almost the same pattern that’s been present the entire pandemic, he said. And I think that’s quite striking.

More frequent vaccination won’t prevent all serious infections, he added, or perhaps even a majority of those infections, which highlights the need for ongoing mitigation efforts.

Lauren Pelley (new window) · CBC News

 

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Students face up to 20-day suspension over vaccines – Waterloo Region Record

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Only one principal reported an altercation with a parent on the second day of suspensions over immunization records on Thursday. 

Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, suspensions can last up to 20 days. 

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Measles case reported locally turns out to be negative: health unit

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NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE MUSKOKA DISTRICT HEALTH UNIT
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On March 26, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) was notified by Public Health Ontario’s (PHO) laboratory that due to laboratory error, the case of measles that had been lab-confirmed positive on March 12, based on symptoms and a positive urine measles laboratory result by PHO’s laboratory, is in fact negative for the measles virus.

“With this new information of the negative lab result, we believe that that individual was not infected with measles and that there has not been any public exposure to measles resulting from this individual’s illness,” said Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health. “We recognize that notifying the public of what we believed to be a positive measles case in our area created worry, anxiety and disruption for some, and we regret this.

“We do know that, despite best efforts, on rare occasions laboratory errors can occur. We are working closely with the PHO’s laboratory to do all that we can to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.”

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads very easily through airborne transmission. The measles virus can live in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours.

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Symptoms of measles begin seven to 21 days after exposure and include fever, runny nose, cough, drowsiness, and red eyes. Small white spots appear on the inside of the mouth and throat but are not always present. Three to seven days after symptoms begin, a red, blotchy rash appears on the face and then progresses down the body.

The risk of transmission to those vaccinated with two doses is low, and when it does occur tends to show a reduction in the severity of these symptoms.

“Although we are relieved for the individual involved, and for all Simcoe-Muskoka residents, that this case has now been confirmed as negative, we know that measles is still active in Ontario at this time and the potential remains for new cases to arise, especially given the increase in Ontarians travelling to areas in the world that have higher numbers of measles cases,” said Dr. Gardner. “This is why we continue to advise individuals to keep up to date with their routine immunizations, including measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination.”

The risk of measles is low for people who have been fully immunized with two doses of measles vaccine or those born before 1970; however, many children have been delayed in receiving their routine childhood immunizations and people who have not had two doses of measles vaccine are at higher risk of contracting the disease.

People who do get sick usually recover without treatment, but measles can be more severe for infants, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. Possible complications include middle-ear infections, pneumonia, diarrhea, or encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and occasionally death in the very young. Even individuals who are up to date with the measles vaccine should watch for symptoms of measles for 21 days after exposure.

For more information about measles, please visit smdhu.org or call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to speak with a public health professional.

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