November 2, 2009 - “Treat the flu” ads in local newspapers

To: Primary Care Providers
From: Dr. Isra Levy, Medical Officer of Health; Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, President, Academy of Medicine Ottawa

To make the best use of the different arms of our health care system and enable our hospitals to focus on the most serious flu illnesses, Ottawa Public Health has developed an ad (attached) in collaboration with Ottawa’s hospital and primary care sectors. The ad ran in today’s issues of the Ottawa Citizen and Le Droit, and it will run as a special insert in the Ottawa Sun tomorrow.

The ad provides guidelines to residents as to when to stay home and when to seek medical attention from primary care practitioners and from hospital emergency departments. It also lists a few tips for taking care of symptoms at home and to avoid spreading flu viruses in the community. You may wish to use these messages in your own communications with your patients.

Please note that these messages are also on our web site at ottawa.ca/health when you follow the Treat the Flu links.