Dear Friends
Thank you for attending the Ward 13 Toronto Public Health Information Session on COVID-19 and Vaccination, presented by Nicole Welch, Director of Child Health & Development and Chief Nursing Officer, and Dr. Vinita Dubey, Associate Medical Officer of Health.
Please see below for the minutes from our meeting.
Meeting Date/Time: April 20, 2021 at 6:30 pm
Meeting Location: Zoom Online Meeting hosted by Trustee James Li
Number of Attendees: 62 participants
Meeting Minutes
6:30: Trustee James Li - Introductions and Land Acknowledgement
6:37: Presentation by Nicole Welch and Dr. Vinita Dubey
(Update on COVID-19: Schools and Vaccines)
7:15: Q&A begins
Q: Have schools started doing asymptomatic testing? For example, if a student just wants to get tested, is that allowed?
A: Nicole Welch
- There is a program that's being run through the Ministry of Education, where they've contracted Life labs
- Toronto Public Health (TPH) does a lot of recommendations for asymptomatic testing within schools
- Since February, 5 schools have participated
- People who have had COVID in the past shed the virus for up to three months resulting in false positive
A: Vinita Dubey
- Results are up on the provincial website (refer to slide deck)
- Asymptomatic testing has had a low percent positivity (0.6%)
Q: Someone said, that the AstraZeneca Vaccine is not as good as Pfizer or Moderna in protection against other variants. Is that true?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Pfizer and AstraZeneca have been very effective against the UK variant
- It is recommenced that you take any vaccine you are eligible for
- AstraZeneca will protect you against the variant
- Vaccines also provide enough protection to keep you out of hospital
Q: On March 26, 2021, Canada suspended AZ for women under 50. Is it still suspended? AZ appointments for ages 40+ opens today. Is it for both men and women?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Rare side effect was found in young female healthcare workers
- Rare side effect can occur in all ages
- No risk factors such as age, sex, medication, previous blood clot-related to rare side effect
- In Ontario the vaccine is still recommended and eligible for anyone who is 40 years and older, both men and women
Q: When should we expect school-aged children to be vaccinated?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Not enough vaccine
- Children are not getting as sick
- Risks are more in adult
- Recommendations are being made for 16 years or 12 if licensed
- Once there is enough vaccine and it’s licensed you can expect children to have them
Q: If vaccines will be given to children, will that be manipulated at school or home?
A: Vinita Dubey
- No recommendation for children right now
- Vaccine needs to be stored at -70 degrees
- Can’t be easily taken to school to vaccinate
- Plans may change summer/fall
Q: There has been news and a rumor that patients in Ontario have been moved to different cities because our hospitals are full, but I saw temporary structures near Sunnybrook and downtown so I thought that we were building additional facilities to accommodate COVID patients. Do we have plans for that, or are we in danger right now?
A: Vinita Dubey
- We are in danger
- Patients are being send around the province
- COVID numbers are high and ICUs are full
- Sunnybrook field hospitals are set up but not activated yet
- Need staff to manage field hospital
Q: Are there any plans to add more measures for testing and tracing?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Targets are for 24 hour testing
- Test results are on the website
- Point of care test and rapid test being used in Ontario
- Contact tracing has to be managed differently, TPH will be vigilant against virus
A: Nicole Welch
- Detected cases within classrooms were sent home to self-isolate
- High risk contact need to self isolate while waiting for results
- Outbreak management is done at school
- High COVID numbers makes it difficult to contact trace
Q: Once vaccines are available for children, will TDSB consider mandating the COVID vaccine before return to school, like they mandate other vaccinations?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Once the COVID vaccine is available they might add it to the ISP (Immunization School People’s Act)
Q: Is it is safe to have doses of two different brands within a certain period of time?
A: Vinita Dubey
- UK is doing a trial with Pfizer and AstraZeneca
- It’s called a mixed schedule but we need more information
- It's recommended to stay with the same vaccine for a first and second dose
Q: Is there a central location where Toronto residents can check regularly?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Pop up clinics are just pop up not registered
- Community organizations are notifying their groups
- Just for that community
Q: When will the second dose be available for people who received the first dose at pop-up?
A: Vinita Dubey
[revised after meeting]
- Plan is to notify people for the second dose
- Pop up clinic administrators will schedule a 2nd dose for these residents and they will get an email/text from them
Q: Would there be any potential risks for children and young adults who took the vaccine, such as side effects that could appear in the future (in a couple of years)?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Long term side effects are not common, and rare
- Vaccine is less than a year
- COVID is here now and children can spread and develop long COVID
- Pfizer and Moderna just started being studied in summer
- Waiting for Health Canada to license vaccine for children
Q: Is there any data showing side effects with the vaccine with patients taking biologics for autoimmune diseases?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Vaccine is safe
- Question is if your body will develop immune response
- Talk to your doctor about timing your medication with your vaccination
Q: I am not eligible for this age group nor am I in a hot spot. When will it be my turn?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Phase 3 will be for 18 or older available in June or earlier
- In the meantime keep doing what you can to prevent COVID
Q: When will caretakers and daycare staff get vaccinated?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Mid-May for those who are essential workers who can’t work from home
Q: How long does the vaccine last?
A: Vinita Dubey
- 6 months
- Booster shot if required
Q: Will the family doctor be available to inject vaccine for the patients?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Astra Zeneca to be sent to doctor's offices, check with your doctors
Q: Is it important to have the same brand of vaccination for your first and second dose?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Recommendation is to stay with the same brand
- Except Johnson and Johnson which is single dose vaccine
Q: Is mobile app COVID Alert reliable?
A: Vinita Dubey
- It is recommended you down download the app
- Notifies you of any close contact with COVID
- Federal app
Q: Do you have statistics of all positive cases by the occupations and any plans to send vaccines to high risk work places?
A: Vinita Dubey
- Information is collected by TPH
- Website has lists of workplace outbreaks
- Government announced workplace strategy for vaccine
- Work from home the best option where possible
Q: Would the Johnson & Johnson vaccine need a booster after 6 months?
A: Vinita Dubey
- No, Johnson & Johnson is a single dose vaccine
7:48: Q&A concluded for Dr. Dubey and Ms. Welch
Trustee James Li, Superintendent Courtney Lewis and Superintendent Addo answered questions from parents
8:01: Meeting Concluded
