pH1N1 Update

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has issued an Important Health Notice (IHN) outlining Ontario's current pH1N1 status and updated guidance. The following is a brief summary of the pertinent points from the IHN.

1. Ontario has been experiencing very low levels of influenza activity since the beginning of January - as a result, the Ministry Emergency Operations Centre has transitioned to Recovery status.
2. Be aware that the pH1N1 vaccine expiry date has changed - watch for more information from your local Health Unit.
3. The pH1N1 guidance documents that were issued by the MOHLTC are no longer in effect. Please refer to the Routine Practices and Additional Precautions in all Health Care Settings document from PIDAC for guidance on management of individuals presenting with influenza-like illness. The following comments have been made by the MOHLTC Emergency Operations Centre in regards to the current situation:

• We have now gone back to routine practices so management of ILI shuold follow what you usually followed for seasonal influenza.
• The PIDAC document is available here: see pages 31-32 for the section on masks and respirators.
• A surgical mask is to be worn for activities likely to generate splashes or sprays of blood, body fluids, secretions or excretions within 2 metres of a coughing patient.
• An N95 mask should be worn for aerosol-generating procedures that have been shown to expose staff to undiagnosed TB, including: a) Sputum induction; b) diagnostic bronchoscopy; and c) autopsy examination.
• Also see appendix M which lists advantages and disadvantages of different types of masks and N95s.

Behaviour Change

Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to get health care workers to comply with even the simplest of Infection Prevention and Control practices? According to some experts, it takes at least four sources of influence in order to get people to change difficult behaviours. Watch as fourteen-year-old scientist Hyrum Grenny cracks the code on how to get kids to wash their hands, and in so doing, exposes insightful strategies for influencing behaviour change. Click here.