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Updates from Ottawa Public Health

From Ottawa Public Health





Fall 2023


Back to School – Vaccination, Dental Screening and Vision Health

Vaccination

Vaccines are one of the greatest public health accomplishments of the 20th century. Vaccines have saved countless lives and in fact, save an estimated four million lives globally each year!

As children and youth head back to school this fall, it is an important time to ensure they are up to date on their routine vaccinations. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted access to and delivery of routine childhood vaccines. In Ottawa alone, children and youth missed an estimated 40,000 doses of routine vaccines over the course of the pandemic. This means that many children are not fully protected against serious diseases that can have long-term impacts and result in hospitalization and even death. As children head back to school and resume their regular activities, getting caught up on vaccines not only helps protect each child, but it also helps protect the people they spend time with too. It helps keep children in school and doing the activities they love!

In Ontario, all children attending school need to be immunized against nine diseases including diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, whooping cough and chickenpox (for children born in 2010 or later). Over the past year, Ottawa Public Health has been working to notify families if their child’s record with Ottawa Public Health shows a vaccine is missing. This year, Ottawa Public Health will mail notices to children born in 2006 and 2016 who are missing one or more vaccines required for school.

What is Ottawa Public Health asking parents to do?

· Review your child’s vaccine record to see if they are missing any vaccines given during childhood or adolescence.

· Make sure to report your child’s vaccine to Ottawa Public Health. Parents are responsible for reporting their child’s vaccines; health care providers do not do this for you.

· Visit your health care provider to catch up on vaccines you need.

Don’t have a regular health care provider or are having trouble seeing one?

Ottawa Public Health is working with community partners, including the Kids Come First Health Team and organizations from across Eastern Ontario, to help make it easier for children and youth to catch up on routine vaccines. Parents can now:

· Book an appointment on the Kids Come First website to review their child’s vaccine record or receive vaccines.

Alternatively, Ottawa Public Health is offering routine vaccines through its Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs, on a walk-in basis. Parents can drop into one of the locations to review their child’s vaccine record and/or receive vaccines.

Dental Screening

Last school year, close to 10% of children screened in elementary schools presented with urgent dental needs such as cavities, signs of infection, and/or pain. School surveillance of grade 2 students and dental screening in other grades will resume in September. This year, three new schools will be offered dental screening services by our OPH registered dental hygienists, for a total of 228 elementary schools. The dental screening is done using a disposable tongue depressor and a flashlight to look into the child’s mouth.

The dental screening is important as it helps identify children in pain and those who require urgent dental care. The school dental hygienists support families with referrals to our OPH dental clinics or to a private dental office and can help low-income families apply to the Healthy Smiles Ontario program.

Dental problems can affect children in different ways, by leading to issues such as poor concentration and learning difficulties in school, limited choice of foods due to inability to chew properly, lower self-esteem and much more.

Vision Health

In September, OPH will distribute vision health cards to over 16,000 junior and senior kindergarten students. This vision health information will remind parents of the importance of taking their children to the optometrist for an annual eye exam. Vision problems can affect children’s learning abilities, social development, self-esteem and hand-eye coordination. If not identified early, some problems can permanently reduce a child's vision.

During Children’s Vision Month (October), OPH will be publishing a series of posts on social media (Facebook/Instagram), supported by a social media advertising campaign. This campaign will educate the audience on the importance of visual health, while also encouraging parents to take their children to their local optometrist for an annual eye exam.

On October 19, a local optometrist will be invited to be a guest on Parenting in Ottawa’s Facebook and Instagram pages. The optometrist will address questions and concerns about common issues around children’s vision and eye health.


Ontario Health 811

A free, secure and confidential service you can call or access online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to get health advice from a registered nurse or to find health services or information. Toll free TTY line: 1-866-797-0007. You can visit Health 811 for more information.

211 is here to help!

Dial 211 for local information and referrals on community, social, government and health services. 211 is a three-digit phone number that provides free, confidential and multilingual information and referrals to clients looking for community and social services in Ottawa. You can visit 211Ontario.ca for more information.


Summer 2023

Important Updates From Ottawa Public Health

  • First mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus this season. Details.

  • Horse in Ottawa tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) - Protect yourself against mosquito bites. Details

  • Vaccination against mpox - two individuals recently tested positive for mpox in Ottawa. Details

Rat Control Measures Rats are common pests that can damage property, contaminate food, and spread disease, so it’s important to prevent infestations. By-law and Regulatory Services within the Emergency and Protective Services department (EPS), the Public Works and Environmental Services department (PWES), and Ottawa Public Health (OPH) work collaboratively in responding to rat and rodent control issues. The first step to deal with rat issues is to contact 311. If the rat issue is on public property, including in sewers, a Service Request will be issued to PWES. If the issue is on private property, 311 will issue a Service Request for a Property Standards review from By-Law and Regulatory Services. Bylaw and Regulatory Services administers the Property Standards By-law, which requires that residential and non-residential properties be maintained free of vermin, including rats and rodents. The role of Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is largely educational in nature. OPH provides advice and guidance to those experiencing a rodent infestation on their property or in their home. As well, rodent issues are addressed during regular public health inspections conducted at inspected facilities located in your neighborhood, including restaurants, grocery stores, corner stores, etc. On the OPH website, you will find a Rat Control page with resources and advice on how best to protect your property and home from rats and other rodents, including a guide for property owners and tenants, Preventing Rats on Your Property. This material is available in French, English, Somali and Arabic and make use of pictures and information to help you understand the steps that can be taken to address the rat issue. Residents can call 613-580-6744 and speak with a Public Health Inspector to discuss the educational material located on our website. Implementing control measures on one’s own property is the responsibility of the property owner. The owner is recommended to refer to the educational guidance on our website and may elect to hire a professional pest control company for assistance. COVID-19 Vaccine Effective July 7, 2023, the Ministry of Health recommends individuals aged five years and older should consider delaying their COVID-19 booster until Fall 2023, as respiratory season commences, to maximize protection against COVID-19 outcomes when peak circulation of the virus is expected. For more information, visit COVID-19 vaccine.

June 2023

May 2023

April 2023

March 2023

February 2023

January 2023




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