Event Details

PHO Rounds: Can a Voluntary Isolation Centre Reduce Secondary Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Households: A Matched Cohort Study

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many jurisdictions established isolation centres to help reduce household transmission; however, few real-world studies support their effectiveness. This Public Health Ontario (PHO) Rounds will present a study which compared transmission among households where first cases used the Toronto Voluntary Isolation Centre (TVIC) with households that received routine self-isolation guidance, prior to widespread vaccine availability. A total of 303 TVIC households were matched with 2943 self-isolation households. The COVID-19 attack rate (proportion of the at-risk population that contracts the disease) among TVIC households was 5.2% compared with 8.4% among self-isolation households. Use of a voluntary isolation center was associated with a reduction in household SARS-CoV-2 prior to the availability of vaccines. The potential of voluntary isolation centers to control resurgences of other communicable infections or future pandemic pathogens, beyond SARS-CoV-2, will also be explored, particularly for individuals who face challenges with isolation.

Intended audience: Clinicians, public health practitioners, public health physicians and nurses, researchers

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the role of voluntary isolation centres in the COVID-19 public health response in Canada and internationally.
• Describe the uptake and impact of voluntary isolation centres in reducing secondary COVID-19 household transmission.
• Discuss how voluntary isolation centres could be applied in future responses to diseases of public health significance, particularly those with high likelihood of household transmission and high severity of disease.

Presenter(s): Jocelyn Edwards and Dr. Kevin Brown

Jocelyn Edwards, MSc, is a Program Evaluator at Toronto Public Health. She evaluates the effectiveness, impact, and quality of public health programs and interventions and provides recommendations to improve organizational practices and client experiences. She has made significant contributions to evaluation frameworks used at Toronto Public Health and cascaded by the Ministry to all health units during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a member of the Ontario Public Health Evaluation Network and a recipient of the Kristen Beaton Achievement Award for Leadership in Public Health Evaluation.

Dr. Kevin Brown, PhD, is an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and Scientist at Public Health Ontario, as well as an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. With a PhD in epidemiology from the University of Toronto and an MPH in biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his research focuses on spatial and temporal modeling of infectious diseases, particularly C. difficile infection, antimicrobial resistance, and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.

Accreditation

Public Health Ontario Rounds are a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). In order to receive written documentation for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits, please check “Yes” beside the question “Do you require CME credits?” on the registration form.

College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) Affiliate Members may count RCPSC credits toward their Mainpro+ credit requirements. All other CFPC members may claim up to 50 Certified credits per cycle for participation in RCPSC MOC Section 1 accredited activities.

PHO Rounds are also approved by the Council of Professional Experience for professional development hours (PDHs) for members of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors (CIPHI).

For more information or for a record of registration for other Continuing Education purposes, please contact capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.

Accessibility

Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.