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Thursday, February 17, 2022

Children, mental health central to COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan - The Sudbury Star

Sudbury’s health unit identifies immediate public health priorities

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Public Health Sudbury and Districts released its COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan during a virtual board meeting on Thursday.

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The board of health had the chance to review statistics detailing the intensity and volume of the agency’s response to COVID-19 during the meeting, said a press release.

This was followed by a discussion on public health’s pandemic recovery plan called “Public Health Sudbury and Districts and the COVID-19 Pandemic: From risk to recovery and resilience.”

The plan identifies immediate priorities for public health action in support of healthy communities, including “levelling up opportunities for health,” fostering mental health gains, getting children back on track and supporting safe spaces.

The health unit said the plan signals hope and a brighter future.

“There isn’t a person over these last two years left untouched by the pandemic,” said René Lapierre, chair of the board of health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts.

“The board of health is committed to a recovery path that supports everyone, and especially those who experience greater disadvantage.”

Lapierre said the board is turning its attention to building “a very hopeful future together.”

“By prioritizing recovery activities and reducing the growing backlog of services and unmet needs, Public Health Sudbury and Districts is an active partner in our collective local recovery — creating and contributing to post-pandemic strong and resilient communities,” he said.

Since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020, Ontario’s 34 local public health agencies, in collaboration with provincial and local partners, have been at the forefront of pandemic response, the health unit said in a release.

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Health units have helped control virus spread; prevent infections, outbreaks, and severe disease; provide vaccines; assess and manage local risks; and learning, communicating and acting on rapidly changing science.

The release said that Public Health Sudbury and Districts provided leadership and essential services to support and guide its service area during “this long and difficult period.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has tested us as individuals, communities, and as a society,” said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Penny Sutcliffe.

“I am humbled by and proud of the commitment and contributions of so many people too numerous to mention – including, for example, members of the public and all our friends and neighbours, retired and active health and enforcement professionals.”

Sutcliffe also recognized elected leaders and their staff, business owners, teachers and parents, local service agencies, and the public health team in her statement.

“We have relied and leaned on each other to get through this just as we will as we start on our next steps to recovery,” she said.

From Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2021, the health unit reported 5,553 COVID-19 cases and followed up on 20,810 close contacts among residents in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts.

The release added that those numbers were 3,513 and 162 respectively during the first month of 2022.

Public Health also led the local COVID-19 vaccination program rollout and provided 80 per cent of all doses in 2021.

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“The successful vaccine program is a team effort with partnerships from more than 150 groups, including municipalities, First Nations and Indigenous agencies and communities, pharmacies, primary care providers, long-term care homes, and education partners,” the release said.

The health unit said it also ensures regular and timely public communications.

In 2021, it handled almost 25,000 calls and inquiries through its COVID-19 call centre and almost 260,000 calls to the City of Greater Sudbury and the Public Health vaccination booking centre.

This is in addition to frequent public health updates through its website and social media platforms and ongoing communication with partners, said the release.

“These extraordinary COVID-19 response efforts have meant that Public Health has had to stop or radically reduce many programs, services, and supports offered to the community,” said Sutcliffe.

“For two years, we have redeployed the majority of our staff and redirected almost 80 per cent of our resources to pandemic response, resulting in a large and growing backlog of public health programs, services and unmet needs.”

She added that she’s pleased to share Public Health’s plan for how it will move forward.

“While we continue to respond to the Omicron variant, I am optimistic that we can plan for a future in which COVID-19 is not the sole public health focus and we can contribute to the local recovery efforts ensuring healthier communities for all,” she said.

The Local Journalism Initiative is made possible through funding from the federal government.

dmacdonald@postmedia.com

Twitter: @SudburyStar

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Children, mental health central to COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan - The Sudbury Star
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