OAML & Pandemic Planning

1. OAML & Pandemic Planning June 16, 2005

2. Industry Leadership Role • Industry leadership in developing proposed testing menus for pandemic response. • Corporate leadership being shown by MDS which is working with Toronto Public Health on worker enumeration. • Lesson we have learned from that: we need a standard nomenclature for laboratory staff for Ontario. • When someone says, “medical laboratory assistant or phlebotomist or technician,” we need to know who they’re talking about, in every health unit.

3. Industry Leadership Role • Engaged at provincial and health unit levels • Have contacted each MOH • Workforce protection: laboratory workers recognized as essential to continued functioning of health care system • Assured priority assignment for antivirals and vaccines

4. Public Health Leadership Role • Broadly based, national and international in scope. • Dr. Sheela Basrur, CMOH leads public health response. • Here in Ontario, the OHPIP Steering Committee led by Alison Stuart, EMU and Dr. Susan Tamblyn. • Public Health sub-committee chaired by Dr. Erika Bontovics. • Members of the working groups from Ministry of Health, professional groups and associations. • Laboratory Working Group leadership by Dr. Anna Majury.

5. OAML & Pandemic Planning OAML & Pandemic Planning • Pandemic Operations Working Group: A,. Sarabia, D. Kerr, J. Sumner & J. Langer • Identified primary and secondary contacts in each laboratory corporation • Developed recommendations for suspension of testing in the community sector • Draft standard nomenclature for enumeration of (community?) laboratory workforce • Input into Ontario Health Pandemic Influenza Plan through LWG, E&SWG and communications sub-committee

6. Recommendations for Testing • Julius Kapala PhD, Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories • Gwen McKay MLT, Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories • Alicia Sarabia MD, MDS Laboratories LP • Philip Stuart MD, CML HealthCare Inc. • Frank Thompson MD, MDS Laboratories LP

7. Recommendations for Testing • Comments have been received from Dr. A. Mazzulli, Dr. A. Sarabia and Dr. B. Toye. • Now in its 3rd iteration. • Based on a common sense approach. • What testing would you have to do to be able to provide basic medical care to everyone in the province?

8. Recommendations for Testing • So in a worst-case scenario, this is what we’ll do. • Very restricted list of 15-20 tests. • In a less severe attack, what could you add back in? Short list of additional tests if capacity allows. • In a mild event, what high-volume screening could we suspend to free up capacity to deal with additional testing load? • We’ll put the document on the Pandemic Preparedness website.

9. Equipment & Supplies Working Group • Have collated estimates of infection control supplies & PPE required for a month. • We are representing the interests of the community laboratory sector in the procurement of personal protective equipment and supplies, as part of a provincial requirement for acquisition. • We want to ensure that at least four weeks’ worth of specific equipment and supplies is available to the industry and in the province (preferably, in situ, in laboratories or nearby storage). • We anticipate that suppliers in the US would be unlikely to be able to meet Canadian needs in a pandemic situation.

10. Equipment & Supplies Working Group • Input into draft supplies & equipment list for plan • Provincial stockpile for 4 weeks (28 days), plus • Industry stockpile for 4 weeks = 8 weeks • Need to consider what we will need to be able to do the testing • May be very difficult to source lab testing supplies • Borders may close

11. Communication sub-committee • Developing public messaging & educational information. • Emergency communications plan is in place. • Ask for your input into Lab Fact Sheet. • What other Lab Facts do we want?