Click on the links below for more information

• PPEs for community physicians
• Medical staff information on COVID-19
• Medical Health Officer updates
• COVID-19 Workplace Questions 
• Fraser Health COVID-19 Vaccine page
• BCCDC: 
  • Percentage of vaccines delivered
  • Current hospitalized due to COVID-19
• Fraser Health public exposures
• Harm Reduction Resource Sheet - August, 28 2020

The links below are accessbile only via the Fraser Health network. (Click here for instructions to access the network remotely to view this information.)

• COVID-19 Information Centre (including CEO and Infection Prevention & Control updates)
• COVID-19 vaccine: Clinical resources (Pulse)
• All staff COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall meetings (Pulse)
• Medical Staff Town Hall meetings (Pulse)

A new SARS-CoV-2 variant has been described in the UK and more recently in British Columbia. As a result, non-essential travel was suspended between Canada and the UK until recently. Evidence continues to evolve and emerge around the characteristics and the impacts of this new variant and other variants like the South African variant.  The UK variant from the B.1.1.7 lineage is reported to have 14 mutations and may have had impact on SARS-CoV-2 transmission and the host immune response.

The variant is reported to be 71% (95% confidence interval: 67% to 75%) more transmissible than other variants and associated with a higher viral load. This could be attributable to the fact that one of the mutations allows for greater binding affinity of the virus spike protein to the human ACE-2 receptor.

There is no evidence, to date, that suggests increased severity of illness from this variant compared to other variants.⁶ The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has determined that PCR tests will still be able to detect this variant as the test looks for multiple regions of the virus’ genome. Lastly, current experts opinion states that the new variant is unlikely to make vaccines ineffective. Immune response to the vaccine is likely to generate an array of antibody responses that should protect the host from several variations of the virus. The BCCDC is currently focusing genomic sequencing efforts to cases with recent travel history from the UK or contact with a traveller or in the case of unusual clusters to aid in early detection.

Overall, effective management of this variant involves continue following current public health practices. The health authority is currently scaling up vaccination efforts for a quick and timely rollout. Healthcare professionals, who have recently travelled outside of Canada, should be quarantining for 14 days, prior to resuming work. Departments should make alternative arrangements for staffing rather than permitting staff who’ve recently travelled outside Canada to work on an exceptional basis. Fraser Health will continue to work with local and provincial partners to monitor the presence of the variants and provide additional communications as needed.

Advance Care Planning Resources during COVID-19

Starting conversations with patients about Advance Care Planning is important during COVID-19 to help decrease their anxiety about future health care decisions.

• Serious Illness conversation patient letter
• Serious Illness COVID-19 guide and mini reference
• Protect yourself and your patient (poster)
• Protect yourself and your family (poster)
• Additional Advance Care Planning forms

ABC123 – Psychological First Aid Tool

BC Physician Wellness in COVID-19

Docs Lounge 4 Wellness

Doctors of BC COVID-19 Peer Support Sessions

Ensuring our Own Wellbeing – CSPL 5 C’s Resilience Framework

Managing Stress and Anxiety

Medical Staff Psychological and Well-Being Supports

Physician Coaching Service 

Physicians Joining Online Huddles

Wellness during COVID-19 Resources

Thrive
Thrive Physician Availability Tool (Best viewed in Google Chrome)
Video on how to use the tool
For sign in and technical support, contact supportc19ccrm@thrive.health

Canadian medical students have come together to provide you with daily updates on the state of literature on COVID-19. Articles reviewed in this newsletter are selected from a daily literature search of the PubMed database and the WHO database of publications on COVID-19 disease. Literary Reviews from Canadian med students against COVID-19
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• Antimicrobial and Immunomodulatory Therapy in Adult Patients with COVID-19
• Interim Guidance: Public Health Management of cases and contacts associated with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the community

For patients sent home with COVID-19 for Palliative Care

• COVID-19 kit for Patient at Home
• Notification of Expected Death in the Home
• BC Palliative Care Benefits Registration

Surgery

• COVID-19 Procedure/Surgery Assessment form - Clarification for use with Obstetrics Patients
• COVID-19 Procedure/Surgery Assessment form - Adult Patients

PPO for Suspected/Confirmed COVID-19 Treatment - Adult

• Suspected/Confirmed COVID-19 - Adult (For reference only)

Additional Resources

• Home Health Monitoring for COVID-19
• COVID-19 Discharge Checklist for End of Life at Home
• Actively Dying Protocol: Acute Care Addendum COVID-19 CRISIS ORDERS
• KYI for Personal Protective Equipment
• COVID-19 Coverage for MSP Non-Eligible patients

• Click here for videos and information to access Fraser Health email and systems remotely
• Email the Virtual Collaboration team for technical support with Zoom, Skype and other technologies
• For Unifying Clinical Information (UCI) questions, email uci@fraserhealth.ca
• Instructions to setup Fraser Health email on your own device (temporary measure for COVID-19)
• For faxed copy of Medical Imaging reports, contact MRI Central Intake Office at 604-953-6164 or 1-866-588-6954
• For Meditech or PacsWeb report help, email FHAPACSRISCoordinators@fraserhealth.ca

Resources and information about caring for someone in long-term care, assisted living during COVID-19. Resources include; clinical decision pathways, admissions and resident transfers, updated testing guides, swab flow chart, guidance for certifying COVID-19 deaths and other important documents.

View long-term care resources for physicians >>

Health authority ID or uniform is required 

These are not vetted, endorsed or monitored by Fraser Health.