News

Message from the Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Vera Etches

Ottawa Public Health's (OPH) new strategy is directly aimed at helping you keep your patients well.  The strategic direction to "drive prevention in the healthcare system" will require our organization to better understand your needs and create tailored supports to increase health promotion and preventive interventions in clinical settings. 

The first year of our strategy also includes the transformative work of partnering with clinicians and organizations creating Ontario Health Teams (OHTs).  OPH...

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New Additional and Updated Measles Resource: Factsheet for Clinicians

In response to recent measles activity, Public Health Ontario (PHO) has developed an update on measles cases in Ontario and information on immunization.

The factsheet  “Measles: Information for Clinicians” includes information on:

• immunization;
• serological laboratory testing of immunity;
• measles case investigations; and
• advice on infection prevention and control.

For regularly updated case count information, see the Important Measles Information webpage which was developed earlier this spring and...

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New SOGC Accredited Online Course: Vaccination in Pregnancy

Prenatal care providers are well placed to review immunization status and to recommend vaccines before, during, and after pregnancy. Vaccination during pregnancy provides immunity to both the woman and the fetus, offers protection to the neonate for the first few months of life, and can reduce the occurrence of preventable diseases in entire populations.

This new online course from The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) covers a range of topics on vaccination in...

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Summer Travel Abroad: Up-To-Date Immunizations Offer Protection Against Disease

With the summer months ahead, you may have patients that are visiting friends and relatives abroad (often referred to as VFR travellers). Recent travel-related cases of measles and hepatitis A involving residents of Ottawa are a reminder that international travel puts people at risk for a number of diseases and that VFR travel can be more risky than business or tourist travel. Now is a good time to ensure your patients are up to date on their immunizations and to discuss with them about how they...

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Tick Talk: Quick links to resources for Lyme Disease

It’s tick season and very likely that you will be asked about ticks and Lyme disease in your practice. It might be useful to have a short-list of resources at your disposal. For your convenience, we have provided links below:

• OPH’s Lyme disease resources for physicians.
• OPH’s Health Care Providers Lyme disease reporting form (PDF)

• OPH’s Lyme disease resources for the public.

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