Health professionals updates

March 2024

March 21, 2024 Vol. 17 No. 9

• New: Supervised Consumption Services Clinic now open at 10 Peel Centre Drive in Brampton
• Reminder: Peel Works Harm Reduction Program

March 18, 2024 Vol. 17 No. 8

• Update: Vaccine products
• New: Vaccine packaging format changes
• Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) 2023/2024 vaccine returns
• New: Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) vaccine clinics and reminder to report immunization records
• New: Public Health Ontario (PHO) measles resource for health care providers

February 29, 2024 Vol. 17 No. 7

• March Break School Vaccination Program Catch-up Clinics
• Reminder: Immunization School Pupils Act (ISPA) - Orders of Suspension

February 27, 2024 Vol. 17 No. 6

• Peel Public Health Pregnancy and Parenting Program Updates

February 22, 2024; Vol. 17, No. 5

• Global Increase in Measles Activity

February 7, 2024; Vol. 17, No. 4

• Reminder: Rabies Serology Testing

January 31, 2024; Vol. 17, No. 3

• Update: Public Health Ontario changes to Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) testing and Hepatitis B Viral (HBV) testing and requisition form
• Update: Peel Health Professionals website

January 22, 2024; Vol. 17, No. 2

• Immunization School Pupils Act (ISPA) – Orders of Suspension
• Update: COVID-19 Medical Exemptions

January 15, 2024; Vol. 17, No. 1

• Revised: Ministry of Health guidance for routine and catch-up immunization services
• New: Novovax (Nuvaxovid) XBB COVID-19 vaccine
• End of free vaccine delivery period
• Increasing iGAS cases

December 19, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 37

• Update: RSV vaccine program expansion
• January to June 2024 paid vaccine and STI medication delivery schedule
• Update: COVID-19 and influenza Peel Public Health Clinics and homebound program
• Urgent care and after-hours services available in Peel

December 12, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 36

Holiday schedule for Peel Public Health Clinics and Services

December 1, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 35

• Update: The Botulism Guide for health care professionals has been updated (October 2023)
• Reminder: Treatment of Botulism is guided by Clinical Diagnosis
• Reminder: Clinical presentation of Infant Botulism
• Reminder: Ordering BabyBIG for Infant Botulism cases
• Reminder: Process to order Botulism Anti-Toxin (BAT) and BabyBIG (for infants less than 1 year of age).

November 24, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 34

• New: Anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus (POWV) risk in Peel
• New: Anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and POWV clinical presentation, diagnostic testing, and treatment
• Reminders: Tick species identification and reporting tick-borne diseases
• Tick-borne diseases summary table

November 1, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 33

• Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are now available for the general population

October 20 2023; Vol. 16, No. 32

• New: National Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Week
• New Common issues cited in IPAC Complaint Investigations

October 5, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 31

• New: COVID-19 Fall and Winter 2023-2024 Campaign
• New: Peel Health Professionals Portal for onboarding and ordering COVID-19 vaccines
• New Distribution of rapid antigen tests
• Reminder: COVID-19 testing and antiviral treatment

September 29, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 30

• Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP)
• Reviewing Immunization Status for Seniors ≥65 years of age
• Reminder: Reporting Adverse Event(s) Following Immunization (AEFI)
• New: RSV Vaccine for Seniors

September 18, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 29

• Immunization screening letters

August 29 2023; Vol. 16, No. 28

• Update: West Nile virus risk in Peel
• Reminders: West Nile virus clinical presentation, diagnostic testing, preventative measures, and reporting

August 24, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 27

• Vaccine Storage and Handling Practices
• Monthly Temperature Log Submission Requirements for Long Term Care and Retirement Homes
• Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP)

August 15, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 26

• Alert: Rabies in Ontario and Peel Region

August 3, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 25

• New: EMR tool available to identify school-aged patients missing vaccines under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA)
• Physician Call for Action: Immunization of School-Aged Patients

July 20, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 24

• Alert: Risk of Vaccine Derived Polio in Canada

July 12, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 23

• Relocation of Peel Public Health’s Multi-Service Clinic in Brampton
• Update: Ministry of Health COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance

July 11, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 22

• Reminder: Lyme Disease Risk in Peel
• Update: Lyme Disease Clinical Guidance
• Update: Change to Testing Methods for Lyme Disease
• Reminder: Tick Species Identification and Reporting Lyme Disease
• Update: Pharmacists Offering Antibiotic Prophylaxis Following Tick Bites

June 16, 2023; Vol. 16 , No. 21

• Alert: A Confirmed Case of Measles in Peel

June 16, 2023; Vol. 16 , No. 20

• Alert: Listeria Illness Associated with Mississauga Restaurant

June 13, 2023; Vol. 16 , No. 19

• Alert: Risk of mpox Resurgence this Summer

June 9, 2023; Vol. 16 , No. 18

• Reminders: Vaccine Storage and Handling
• July to December 2023 Paid Vaccine and STI Medication Delivery Schedule

June 8, 2023; Vol. 16 , No. 17

• Continuity of Peel Services – Peel’s Commitment to Health Professionals
• Continuity of Peel’s Services – Peel’s Commitment to Community Partners

June 7, 2023; Vol. 16 , No. 16

• Special Air Quality Statement Issued for Peel Region by Environment and Climate Change Canada

June 6, 2023; Vol. 16 , No. 15

• Required Immunizations for School - Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA)
• New: Summer Routine School Immunization Clinics
• Reminder: Extended Eligibility for High-Risk and Shingles Vaccines
• Reminder Reporting Adverse Event(s) Following Immunization (AEFI)

June 2, 2023; Vol. 16, No. 14

• Alert: Increased Invasive Group A Streptococcal Disease (iGAS) in Ontario
• Increased Group A Streptococcal Disease iGas in Ontario Memo