New and Emerging
Respiratory illness updates and resources, tools for your practice and more
Updated: October 24, 2024
Find important updates on respiratory season, the Ontario Breast Cancer Screening program and more.
Updates:
- COVID-19 vaccination timing: Unless contraindicated, previously vaccinated individuals can receive a dose if it has been at least three months since their last dose. It can be given at the same time, or at any time before or after any other vaccine.
- RSV vaccination in older adults: The RSV vaccine can be provided at the same time as other vaccines. Both Arexvy and Abrysvo provide multi-year protection – those who received a dose last RSV season do not require one this season.
- RSV immunization in newborns/infants: A reminder that family physicians can order Beyfortus through public health units (PHU). Timelines for availability of 100 mg infant doses may vary by PHU, with some doses expected to be sent to primary care clinics this week.
Resources:
- Updated resources to share with patients to help them stay healthy and care for sick children at home.
- Updated clinic screening tool.
- See OCFP’s respiratory illness webpage for more information on COVID-19, RSV, influenza, invasive pneumococcal disease and pertussis.
- Ontario Health and the Chief Medical Officer of Health will share RSV, COVID-19 and influenza updates for primary care on November 1, 2024. Register here.
- Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) update: Those aged 40-49 can now self-refer for screening. OCFP has developed a one-page summary of changes to the OBSP with links to resources.
- Delegating controlled acts and supporting physicians with disabilities and chronic illness: New resources are available from the OMA focused on supporting all physicians in understanding their responsibilities when delegating controlled acts and supporting physicians with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
- Osteoporosis: Register for OCFP’s Osteoporosis and Fracture Prevention Workshop on December 4, 2024. Created in partnership with the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy, it is based on the 2023 update of the Canadian Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Osteoporosis and Fracture Prevention.
- AI technology: Learn more on how to integrate AI into your practice from Dr. Cody Jackson and Ariane Siegel, General Counsel & Chief Privacy Officer, OntarioMD. Watch the recording of this Practising Well session (October 23, 2024), complete the self-learning evaluation and claim CME credits. Also, see OntarioMD’s study on the use of AI scribes.
- World AMR Awareness Week: Public Health Ontario, in collaboration with the OCFP and Choosing Wisely Canada, will be mailing family physicians an antibiotic prescribing feedback report to mark World AMR Awareness Week (November 18-24). Claim CME credits for reviewing your data. Join our webinar on antimicrobial stewardship and antibiotic feedback reporting on November 14, 2024.
- Dr. Jane Philpott has been appointed as chair and will lead a new primary care action team with a mandate to connect every person in Ontario to primary health care within the next five years. The OCFP looks forward to working collaboratively with Dr. Philpott and the Ontario government.
- Additional partner opportunities can be viewed here.