Question

Given the current COVID-19 pandemic affecting Canadians at this time, give two examples of primary disease prevention strategies being used in Ontario at this time.

Answer 1

COVID-19 is a novel (new) coronavirus that was first identified in Wuhan, China in late 2019. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that originate in animals, but are known to cause respiratory illness in humans, particularly during the fall and winter months. Other novel coronaviruses include Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV).

The World Health Organization (WHO) classified COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Public Health Ontario has conducted laboratory testing and collaborated with healthcare partners to expand testing capacity since the outset of COVID-19.

Studies provides evidence of immediate collateral consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, demonstrating an adverse impact on the movement and play behaviours of Canadian children and youth. These findings can guide efforts to preserve and promote child health during the COVID-19 outbreak and crisis recovery period, and to inform strategies to mitigate potential harm during future pandemics.

Clean hands and cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or bent elbow at all times. Avoid crowded places, close-contact settings and confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. Ensure good ventilation in indoor settings, including homes and offices.

Stay home if feeling unwell and call medical provider as soon as possible to determine whether medical care is needed. In countries or areas where COVID-19 is circulating, health workers should use medical masks continuously during all routine activities in clinical areas in health care facilities

Infection prevention and control for healthcare professionals

• Always consult local infection prevention and control protocols; only basic principles are detailed here.

• Immediately isolate all suspected or confirmed cases in an area that is separate from other patients. Place patients in adequately ventilated single rooms if possible. When single rooms are not available, place all cases together in the same room and ensure there is at least 1 metre (3 feet) between patients

• Implement standard precautions at all times

  • Practice hand and respiratory hygiene

  • Give patients a medical mask to wear

  • Wear appropriate personal protective equipment

  • Practice safe waste management and environmental cleaning.

• Implement additional contact and droplet precautions before entering a room where cases are admitted

  • Wear a medical mask, gloves, an appropriate gown, and eye/facial protection (e.g., goggles or a face shield)

  • Use single-use or disposable equipment.

• Implement airborne precautions when performing aerosol-generating procedures, including placing patients in a negative pressure room.

  • Some countries and organisations recommend airborne precautions for any situation involving the care of a COVID-19 patient.

• All specimens collected for laboratory investigations should be regarded as potentially infectious

• Appropriate personal protective equipment gives healthcare workers a high level of protection against COVID-19.Standard surgical masks are as effective as respirator masks for preventing infection of healthcare workers in outbreaks of viral respiratory illnesses such as influenza, but it is unknown whether this applies to COVID-19.

• Detailed infection prevention and control guidance is available:

  • WHO: infection prevention and control during health care when coronavirus disease (‎COVID-19) is suspected or confirmed external link opens in a new window

  • CDC: interim infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare personnel during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic external link opens in a new window