Epidemiology, Public Health & Implementation

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| May 28, 2021

Impact of Hospital Visitor Restrictions during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The rationale for restrictive “no visitor” policies adopted during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was to limit the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into the hospitals and to minimize the risk of transmission to the community. Available research demonstrates that (1) general hospital visitors need to be distinguished from “family/essential caregivers”, (2) family/essential caregivers do not play a substantial role in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a hospital setting with infection and prevention control (IPAC) measures, and (3) blanket restrictive visitor policies are associated with potential harms particularly across specific populations. Visitor policies which are typically established locally by each hospital must balance the potential infection risk associated with having family/essential caregivers in the hospital against the risk to specific patient populations and the resultant increase in workload to health care providers in the absence of family/essential caregivers. While creative electronic mechanisms to enhance communication between patients, their families, and the health care team were rapidly adopted, more research is needed to ensure these adaptations are culturally appropriate and equitable.

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| May 20, 2021

Update on COVID-19 Projections

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| May 19, 2021

Excess Mortality in Ontario During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Based on Ontario cremation data, there has been a 12.8% increase in the number of deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the expected numbers of deaths informed by previous years’ cremation data. The causes of these excess deaths include infection with SARS-CoV-2, as well as causes likely related to the pandemic but not due to COVID-19 itself.

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| April 29, 2021

Update on COVID-19 Projections

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| April 29, 2021

Update on COVID-19 Projections

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| April 22, 2021

Behavioural Science Principles for Enhancing Adherence to Public Health Measures

The science of getting people to start something new is different from the science of getting them to continue positive behaviours. Amid rising rates of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, Ontario needs a refreshed approach to maintaining and enhancing adherence to public health measures. Promising strategies to increase effective masking and physical distancing include persuasion, enablement, modelling the behaviour, and clear education.

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| April 20, 2021

Fighting COVID-19 in Ontario: The Way Forward

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario is now facing the most challenging health crisis of our time. Our case counts are at an all-time high. Our hospitals are buckling. Younger people are getting sicker. The disease is ripping through whole families. The variants of concern that now dominate COVID-19 in Ontario are, in many ways, a new pandemic. And Ontario needs stronger measures to control the pandemic. If we want to bring cases under control, protect our health system and reopen as quickly as possible, this is the way forward.

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| April 16, 2021

Update on COVID-19 Projections

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| April 1, 2021

Update on COVID-19 Projections

epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief

| March 29, 2021

COVID-19 Hospitalizations, ICU Admissions and Deaths Associated with the New Variants of Concern

New variants of concern (VOCs) now account for 67% of all Ontario SARS-CoV-2 infections. Compared with early variants of SARS-CoV-2, VOCs are associated with a 63% increased risk of hospitalization, a 103% increased risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and a 56% increased risk of death due to COVID-19. VOCs are having a substantial impact on Ontario’s healthcare system. On March 28, 2021, the daily number of new SARS-CoV-2 infections in Ontario reached the daily number of cases observed near the height of the second wave, at the start of the province-wide lockdown, on December 26, 2020. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is now 21% higher than at the start of the province-wide lockdown, while ICU occupancy is 28% higher (Figure 1). The percentage of COVID-19 patients in ICUs who are younger than 60 years is about 50% higher now than it was prior to the start of the province-wide lockdown. Because the increased risk of COVID-19 hospitalization, ICU admission and death with VOCs is most pronounced 14 to 28 days after diagnosis, there will be significant delays until the full burden to the health care system becomes apparent.

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