Public Health Alerts

Newly Reportable Tick-borne Diseases

To: Ottawa Physicians and Nurse Practitioners, Emergency Departments, Walk-in Clinics, Travel Clinics
Date: 27 July 2023
From: Dr. Monir Taha, Associate Medical Officer of Health
We are writing to inform you that the Ontario Ministry of Health recently made anaplasmosis (human granulocytic anaplasmosis), babesiosis, and Powassan virus disease reportable. 
Anaplasma phagocytophilum (a tick-borne intracellular bacteria), Babesia microti (a tick-borne intracellular protozoan parasite), and Powassan virus

Read more

Provincial Rapid Antigen Tests Availability and Ordering

To:         Ottawa Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Travel Clinics, Walk-in Clinics
Date:     July 17, 2023
From:    Dr. Laura Bourns (Associate Medical Officer of Health)

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the lower rates of COVID-19, high vaccination rates, and decreasing demand for COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (RATs), the province started winding down the Rapid Antigen Test Public Distribution Program on June 30, 2023. 

To support ongoing access to COVID-19 testing, in particular for people who may be eligible for COVID-19...

Read more

Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance

To: Ottawa Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Midwifery Leads, Travel Clinics, Walk-in Clinics, and other Vaccine Providers
Date: July 12, 2023
From: Dr. Michelle Foote (Associate Medical Officer of Health)

Dear Colleagues:

Updated COVID-19 vaccine guidance

Ontario has updated its COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance as of July 7, 2023. Key updates include: 

• Bivalent mRNA vaccines are recommended to be used for primary series initiation or completion in individuals 6 months and older. Monovalent mRNA vaccine...

Read more

Shingles Vaccine Extended Eligibility and Ordering

To: Ottawa Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Travel Clinics, Walk-in Clinics,Date: June 19, 2023From: Dr. Trevor Arnason (Associate Medical Officer of Health)

Dear Colleagues,

This is a reminder that in October 2020, Ontario’s Publicly Funded Shingles Immunization Program changed from funding the Zostavax® II (Merck Canada Inc.) vaccine to funding the Shingrix®(GSK) vaccine. Shingrix® is administered intramuscularly as a two-dose schedule 2 to 6 months apart.

Eligibility

In Ontario, the Shingrix®...

Read more

Mpox update

To: Ottawa Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Travel Clinics, Walk-in Clinics, Emergency Departments and CHCsDate: June 8, 2023From: Dr. Trevor Arnason (Associate Medical Officer of Health), Dr. Laura Bourns (Associate Medical Officer of Health, Acting)

Dear Colleagues:

This Public Health Alert summarizes recent updates to mpox relating to risks, epidemiology, and recommendations for vaccination and testing.

The World Health Organization’s mpox Public Health Emergency of International Concern was...

Read more