March 9 Board of Health Summary
Written by Comms Team, March 10, 2022
Board of Health Membership Update
Board of Health Chair Mayor Andy Mitchell shared that Dan Moloney has joined Peterborough Public Health’s Board of Health as a provincial appointee commencing March 4, 2022. The Board looks forward to his contributions over the two-year term, and looks to draw from his experience as a financial advisor, and from his current board positions with the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation and Peterborough Public Library.
Update on Opioid-Related Harms
The province recently approved $1,375,100/year to support a local Consumption and Treatment Site (CTS) to Fourcast, the local agency that will operate this facility in downtown Peterborough to provide a safe space to offer harm reduction services for people who use drugs. Staff hiring and other preparations are underway to open the new site. Dr. Piggott explained this site is one important piece of a wider strategy to address the local drug poisoning crisis. Within this site, people will bring their own drugs for ingestion using safe equipment and be supervised by a nurse. If the drugs are toxic and causes an overdose, they will be cared for using naloxone and other lifesaving treatments. More broadly, this helps build trust between people who use drugs and healthcare services, a key factor to support patients on their journey towards reducing the potential harmful effects of a toxic drug supply. A community advisory committee will also be established to provide guidance and inform the work of the CTS. An extensive evaluation plan is also being designed. The success of this recent funding announcement is thanks to the hard work of local partners, including the Peterborough Drug Strategy, Peterborough 360 Degree Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, Peterborough County-City Paramedics, and PARN – Your Community AIDS Resource Network.
Local COVID-19 Update
Dr. Piggott noted that more than 330,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in total locally. He emphasized the importance of getting a third, booster dose to increase the level of community protection. Only 54.7% of eligible residents 5 years and up have received a booster dose. Third doses reduce the chances of getting infected by 60%, and reducing the chances of mortality by 90% when compared to those who are unvaccinated. Vaccination rates among local youth aged 5-11 are low at only 36% with two doses. Wastewater surveillance data show that while Omicron surge has peaked locally, virus transmission remains higher than before December 2021 and levels are sustaining, not dropping. Today the Ontario government announced that the provincial masking mandate will end on March 21 and that the Reopening Ontario Act will expire on March 28. Isolation guidance for those exposed to COVID-19 have also been updated. Dr. Piggott said we’re at a hopeful phase of the pandemic, but that significant prudence is required to prevent increased transmission in the future. He recommends all residents continue to wear masks for the time being to protect those who are most vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19, including immunocompromised, medically-at-risk, the elderly, and those without three doses. Next week in the mass immunization clinics during March Break there will be a beach-themed experience offered, and evening clinics will also be available.
Strategy Plan Re-Launch
The development of a Strategic Plan for Peterborough Public Health for 2019–2024 was initiated in the fall of 2018 following the conclusion of the 2013-2019 Strategic Plan. Consultants were engaged to guide us through this process, which was conceptualized as two phases; (1) Establish Strategic Clarity and Intended Impact; and (2) Creation of the Strategic Plan. As we neared the completion of Phase 1 at the beginning of April, 2019, the province issued announcements about modernization of the public health system, including amalgamation of existing health units. In response, it was determined that PPH would pause the strategic planning process until there was more clarity on the future of Peterborough Public Health or a new regional entity. As 2019 came to a close the emergence of COVID-19 required the Ontario public health system to move into emergency response mode, necessitating the further deferral of a renewed Strategic Plan for PPH.
Consistent with the Board Mandate Letter for our new Medical Officer of Health, PPH is now re-embarking on our Strategic Planning process. Current evidence and provincial policy that drastically eases COVID-19 public health measures provides a more stable context to re-launch the planning process. Given our context, we have designed a strategic planning process that is feasible, yet offering a balance between meaningful engagement and timely decision-making. Internal engagement will begin by seeking input from management and program staff beginning late March 2022. Board of Health engagement will be launched during a spring strategic planning session with follow-up consultations provided by the Governance Committee. The expected output of staff and Board engagement will be a draft Plan that proposes 3-4 strategic priorities with a corresponding set of measurable action statements for the next three years. Next, these strategic priorities will be shared with key external stakeholders in late spring to validate, incorporate community input and context, and identify opportunities for collaboration. Staff will incorporate this input into the final draft. The Governance Committee will bring a final Strategic Plan forward for full approval in August 2022.
Next meeting:
The Board of Health will meet next on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, 5:00 p.m. at 185 King Street, Peterborough.