Pandemic Planning in Ottawa

Ottawa’s Interagency Influenza Pandemic Plan is a living document and continues to evolve to reflect important developments in the political, legislative and scientific landscape. It was first released in 2005 and revised in 2008 to ensure a coordinated community response in Ottawa during an influenza pandemic. The goal of this joint effort is to curtail serious illness and death, and minimize societal disruption in the event of a pandemic.

What has Ottawa Public Health done to prepare for an influenza pandemic?

The World Health Organization has urged countries to step up their preparations to address this risk. Ottawa Public Health is proud to note that it has been working diligently in pandemic preparedness for several years.

Promoting best practices in respiratory infection control in physicians’ offices

Colds and flus can be spread in the waiting rooms of physicians’ offices. From January to March 2004 Ottawa Public Health partnered with the Family Medicine Department at the University of Ottawa and, with one-time funding from the province, conducted research to assess the effectiveness of nurse facilitators to assist physicians incorporate best practices in respiratory infection control. All family physicians in Ottawa were invited to participate. Public Health nurses were trained by the University of Ottawa in facilitation skills. The research showed physicians appreciated the work of the public health nurse facilitators. Of those who participated, there was over an 80 per cent uptake of best practice recommendations. A Continuing Education event was held for physicians in the fall of 2004 to again promote best practices to prevent the spread of respiratory infections.

Promoting best practices in respiratory infection control in schools

Ottawa Public Health has been preparing a curriculum for elementary schools to improve best practices to prevent the spread of colds and flu. This included an extensive review of the literature, and consultations with the provincial Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care re: new recommendations from the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States regarding alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Previously, alcohol-based hand sanitizers were used mainly in health care institutions. Based on recent studies and a new program developed by the CDC, we have become one of the first health units in the province to promote the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in the schools. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers have been shown to be over 99 per cent effective in killing viruses, including influenza viruses. It is an important infection control habit to promote now.

Organizing three case studies with multiple agencies on pandemic preparedness, response and recovery

In the fall of 2004, Ottawa Public Health established the interagency Pandemic Steering Committee to help inform the development of three case studies and the web portal. The case studies addressed all phases of a pandemic from planning to outbreaks elsewhere in the world, to outbreaks in Vancouver, Toronto, and finally Ottawa. The case studies were held between November 2004 and January 2005. The final case study included a second wave of influenza and the recovery phase. Almost 100 people attended the January case study, including Coalition members and representatives from neighbouring health units, and the province. This was very well received. Again, the complexity of the planning process was noted, when the implications were explored of being at a provincial border, being a major referral centre for complex hospital care, and being the nation’s capital with extensive numbers of federal employees, diplomatic corps, etc.

Establishing a Pandemic web portal

In the spring of 2004, Ottawa Public Health received provincial funding to develop a web portal for the Ottawa Pandemic Coalition and to pilot a “Secure e-mail for Health” project for the province. The web portal was launched in December 2004. It includes a registration system for health professionals who can then receive e-mail updates on pandemic planning related issues. There is also some basic information on pandemics and pandemic preparedness for the public.

Engaging the community in pandemic preparedness activities

In February 2005, Ottawa Public Health established the Community Engagement Steering Committee. This includes staff from the City’s Communications Department, Emergency and Social Services, as well as volunteer organizations, such as the Red Cross. The mandate of this Committee is to develop an overall communication strategy for the public, to launch an education campaign, best practices in business continuity planning, and a volunteer strategy to assist with the pandemic response.

Informing revisions to the Ontario Health Pandemic Influenza Plan

Pandemic preparedness includes coordination with provincial public health authorities. Ottawa Public Health has several representatives, including its Associate Medical Officer of Health, Senior Epidemiologist and Program Manager in Communicable Disease sitting on provincial committees to help update the provincial pandemic influenza plan and optimize the interface between provincial and local plans.
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