Emergency preparedness includes all plans developed and reviewed in anticipation of a crisis, which includes a wide variety of public health emergencies such as pandemic influenza and natural disasters that impact on the infrastructure that supports the health care system.
established a vaccination policy. Please view the Vaccination Policy here.
Disease Specific Information
Monkeypox
As of May 2022, there are over 100 cases of monkeypox in several countries across the world, including Europe, Canada, US and Australia. Monkeypox virus infection presents with a prodrome that includes fever, chills, headache, myalgias, lymphadenopathy, and fatigue, followed one to three days later by a progressively developing rash.
Please be advised that the Chief Medical Officer of Health has enacted orders requiring mandatory disclosure and reporting of any suspected case of monkeypox. This is effective May 20, 2022 until it is revoked.
Please see the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s memo regarding Diseases of Public Health Significance (DOPHS), which now includes “Smallpox and other Orthopoxviruses including Monkeypox” under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) click here to view more information.
Updates
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Recommendations for Monkeypox in Health Care Settings – Public Health Ontario, May 2022
- Memo Re: Monkeypox – Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ontario, May 20, 2022
- CMOH Order Re: Monkeypox – Chief Medical Officer of Health Order under Section 77.6 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act May 20, 2022
COVID-19
For information on Emergency Registration please click here.
REVOKED – Additional Declaration under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA)
On April 22, 2021, the Ontario government enacted an additional declaration under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) which states:
“Regulated health professionals, either from Ontario or out-of-province, are now authorized to provide care and engage outside of their regular scope of practice, provided that it is necessary in response to the pandemic and is consistent with the duties that are assigned or the privileges that are granted by the hospital, and the professional acts in a manner that is consistent with any measures taken by a hospital as part of its efforts to respond to, prevent and alleviate the outbreak of COVID-19. Hospitals are responsible to ensure that staff members are only assigned tasks or asked to deliver services that they are reasonably qualified to provide….
Note: This will be revoked on April 27, 2022.
View the full details and the Deputy Minister Memo to Health Care Sector Stakeholders here.
As with every public health issue, it is essential that you stay informed and that the information you obtain comes from reputable sources. For additional links to several key agencies that offer reliable and up-to-date information on COVID-19 please click here.
For media inquiries or to view recent articles related to COVID-19 please see our media room.
- COVID-19 Vaccines – Information for RTs about how to receive click here.
- Ontario Health Workforce Matching Portal information.
- For those Members who see Patients/Clients within a office or clinic setting, the Ministry of Health has released an updated screening tool to ensure that those entering these settings are safe to do so. It reflects screening for fully immunized individuals, including a reordering of the screening questions, along with an updated symptom list.
Click here to view the MoH COVID-19 Patient Screening Guidance Document
CRTO Updates
Message from the CRTO to Graduate Respiratory Therapists (GRTs) Working in a Healthcare Setting During the Pandemic • Sent April 06, 2020
Message from the CRTO to RT Students Working in a Healthcare Setting During the Pandemic • Sent April 06, 2020
COVID-19 Update to ALL CRTO Members • Sent March 17, 2020
COVID-19 Directives
Directive #1 for Health Care Providers and Health Care Entities Issued under Section 77.7 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA), R.S.0.1990, c. H.7 – December 21, 2021
Directive #2 Revoked — click here for Directive #2 Questions and Answers – February 10, 2022
Directive 2 Memo – RE: Resuming Non-Urgent and Non-Emergent Care – February 10, 2022
Directive 2 Ontario Health Memo Re: Gradual Resumption of non-emergent and non-urgent surgeries and procedures – February 10, 2022
Directive 2.1 for hospitals within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act, private hospitals within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act, psychiatric facilities within the meaning of the Mental Health Act and regulated health professionals who practice within them (Health System Coordination re: Hospital Patient Transfers) – February 1, 2022
Directive 2.1 Memo Re: Health System Coordination of Hospital Patient Transfers – January 14, 2022
Directive #3 for Hospitals within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act and Long-Term Care Homes within the meaning of the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 – December 17, 2021
Directive #4 for Ambulance Services and Paramedics under the Ambulance Act – December 21, 2021
Directive #5 for Hospitals within the meaning of the Public Hospitals Act – December 21, 2021
REVOKED – Directive #6 Vaccination Policies – January 5, 2022
Updates
- For the most up to date COVID-19 information and numbers please see the MOH website here.
- Dedicated Offload Nurses Program (DONP) – Since 2008, select municipalities have received funding through the Dedicated Offload Nurses Program (DONP) to establish nurses in hospital EDs focused on receiving and caring for patients arriving by ambulance. Given the system’s current health human resource (HHR) challenges, there is a strong need for action to broaden the eligible health professionals who can safely offload patients and assist with this critical work. As a result, the Ministry of Health is expanding the pool of health professionals who can offload patients with DONP funding – providing more people with access to timely emergency care, while reducing AOT and mitigating HHR shortages. Respiratory Therapists have the required competencies to assist in this initiative and as a result, are eligible to participate. For further information, please see the Notification of Changes to the Dedicated Offload Nurses memorandum.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Assistive Devices Program (ADP) has made temporary changes to the policies governing funding assistance for home oxygen therapy. The CRTO/RTSO has highlight two (2) of these most recent changes that will impact current or future ADP-funded clients.
- The ADP has extended funding assistance for current ADP-funded clients if their funding assistance for home oxygen therapy is scheduled to end between March 12, 2020, and August 30, 2020. The funding period has been extended to August 31, 2020.
- For the duration of the pandemic, ADP has waived the requirements for a physician or nurse practitioner to submit ABG or oximetry test results to confirm that first-time applicants meet the Program’s medical eligibility criteria for ADP-funded home oxygen therapy. The ADP will accept a prescription from a physician or nurse practitioner, licensed to practice in Ontario, as confirmation of the need for home oxygen therapy. The ADP-registered vendor will still need to complete an application form.
Full details are included in the Memorandum “COVID-19 Pandemic – Home Oxygen Therapy” (UPDATE to the memo dated April 03, 2020)” dated August 17, 2020. Questions regarding these or any other temporary changes can be sent to adp@ontario.ca.
Additional Resources and Guidance Documents
- COVID-19 – Guidance for the Health Sector – Ministry Programs – Health Care Professionals – MOH (gov.on.ca)
- COVID-19 Vaccine Third Dose Recommendations (gov.on.ca) – December 16, 2021
- Public Health Ontario
- Updated IPAC Recommendations for Use of Personal Protective Equipment for Care of Individuals with Suspect or Confirmed COVID-19
- COVID-19: Aerosol Generation from Coughs and Sneezes
- COVID-19: Aerosol Generating Medical Procedures
- COVID-19: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Neonatal Resuscitation
- COVID-19 Variant of Concern Omicron (B.1.1.529): Risk Assessment
- Universal Mask Use in Health Care Settings and Retirement Homes
- Universal Mask Use in Health Care
- COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Over Time
- Community Non-Medical and Medical Mask use for Reducing SARS-CoV-2 Transmission
- COVID-19 Delta Sub-lineage AY.4.2: Risk Analysis and Implications for Practice
- Several websites have been created for COVID-19 that act as a portal for trusted and legitimate information and resources and have been shared below:
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Optimizing the use of masks and respirators during the COVID-19 outbreak
- COVID-19 information for Internationally Educated Health Professionals (IEHPs)
- RTSO’s Staged Precautions for Pulmonary Diagnostic Testing During and After COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario.
Influenza
Updates
MOHLTC Health System Action Plan: Respiratory Illness Surge – December 20, 2017 – English French
MOHLTC Influenza Season Preparedness & Monitoring Memo – November 6, 2017
MOHLTC Situational Update on Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Virus – October 11, 2017 – English French
Ministry of Health and Long-term Care