Item - 2020.HL17.1

City Council considered Items HL17.1 and CC22.3 together.

The Board of Health recommends that:

1.  City Council request the provincial Ministry of Health to create an efficient system of transferring information from laboratories to public health units, including any necessary policy changes to information systems and changes to the Laboratory and Specimen Collection Centre Licensing Act or orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

2.  City Council request the provincial Ministry of Health to urgently develop a provincial COVID-19 Testing Strategy based upon clear objectives and the best available scientific evidence.

3.  City Council request the provincial Ministry of Health to adopt recovery indicators developed by the Medical Officers of Health in Ontario to inform provincial and local recovery decision-making.

4.  City Council request the City Manager to work with the Medical Officer of Health to develop enhanced approaches to providing coordinated support to Toronto Public Health, such as a predefined team which includes human resources, legal services, information technology, procurement, and other support functions, based on the experience to date, for use in response to future COVID-19 activity and other health emergencies.

5.  City Council request the City Manager to work with the John Howard Society of Toronto to re-establish critical assessment and support services for people leaving custody from the Toronto South Detention Centre, in accordance with public health advice on physical distancing requirements, at a location that is easily accessible to clients.

The Board of Health:

1.  Requested the provincial Ministry of Health to create an efficient system of transferring information from laboratories to public health units, including any necessary policy changes to information systems and changes to the Laboratory and Specimen Collection Centre Licensing Act or orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

2.  Requested the provincial Ministry of Health to urgently develop a provincial COVID-19 Testing Strategy based upon clear objectives and the best available scientific evidence.

3.  Requested the provincial Ministry of Health to adopt recovery indicators developed by the Medical Officers of Health in Ontario to inform provincial and local recovery decision-making.

4.  Requested the provincial Ministry of Education to consult and coordinate with local public health units on COVID-19 health-related communications to school boards in order to ensure that school boards and local public health units work together effectively in support of the health of local communities.

5.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to report and make a presentation to the Board of Health at its July 2020 meeting on the status of COVID-19 recovery planning and a potential second wave outbreak in 2020 and beyond, including:

a.  the latest steps taken on the COVID-19 response to date;

b.  case and contact management improvements and the status of provincially-coordinated information systems;

c.  continued analysis of COVID-19 socio-demographic data and the latest findings regarding who is most at risk, including studying housing status and quality, occupation or employment sector, race and ethnicity, and other known social determinants of health;

d.  recommendations on the findings of the analysis of COVID-19 socio-demographic data to enhance protections for the public and those at highest risk; and

e.  consideration of accommodation options for people who cannot isolate in their own homes due to, for example, inadequate living space or family members at high risk for COVID-19.

6.  Requested the Medical Officer of Health to produce and regularly update a dashboard of COVID-19 Toronto Public Health recovery indicators and to make this information publicly available on Toronto Public Health's website.

The Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation on An Update on COVID-19.

Since January 2020, Toronto Public Health has been responding to the COVID-19 outbreak in the City of Toronto. Additionally, the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild, which reports to the City Manager, was established on April 24, 2020. This Office is responsible for leading efforts to bring the City's own services back to a fully functioning state as well as to work with the Provincial Government, other public bodies and the private sector to promote a safe and orderly recovery from the impacts thus far of COVID-19 while rebuilding Toronto's economy and quality of life. These efforts will move forward only after the consideration of public health advice.

Lastly, the Public Health Recovery Team spans the Toronto Office of Recovery and Rebuild and Toronto Public Health. It is currently advising Toronto Public Health on the case and contact management function and continues to provide guidance on the re-opening of City services and businesses.