Resources

health-equity-social-determinants-of-health, science-brief
 | April 23, 2021

A Vaccination Strategy for Ontario COVID-19 Hotspots and Essential Workers

Ontario’s initial mass COVID-19 vaccination strategy in place until April 8, 2021 was based on per-capita regional allocation of vaccines with subsequent distribution – in order of relative priority – by age, chronic health conditions and high-risk congregate care settings, COVID-19 hotspots, and essential worker status. Early analysis of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout reveals inequities in vaccine coverage across the province, with residents of higher risk neighbourhoods being least likely get vaccinated. Accelerating the vaccination of COVID-19 hotspots and essential workers will prevent considerably more SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths as compared with Ontario’s initial mass vaccination strategy (Figure 1).
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.
infectious-diseases-clinical-care, science-brief
 | April 19, 2021

Strategies to Manage Tocilizumab Supply During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tocilizumab is an anti-inflammatory medication that acts by inhibiting interleukin-6 (IL-6) and is shown to improve outcomes including mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen. Ontario supply of tocilizumab is limited, and tocilizumab demand in Ontario will likely exceed supply in the near future. A strategy that includes using a fixed, single intravenous dose of 400 mg for eligible patients, use of a provincial dashboard to help monitor and allocate use, and estimating supply-to-demand adequacy will optimize tocilizumab use. Sarilumab, another IL-6 inhibitor, can be considered as a substitute. As a default, a centralized allocation lottery system should be employed as soon as predicted demand exceeds supply. Other aspects may need to be taken into account for allocation, as appropriate.
epidemiology-public-health-implementation, science-brief
 | April 16, 2021

Update on COVID-19 Projections

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