Public Health Sudbury & Districts signals signs of hope as it maps a path to COVID-19 recovery and resilience

Today, the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts reviewed statistics detailing the intensity and volume of the agency’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic—now nearing the two-year mark. This was followed by a discussion of Public Health’s plan for pandemic recovery, Public Health Sudbury & Districts and the COVID-19 Pandemic: From risk to recovery and resilience. Signalling hope and a brighter future, the Recovery Plan identifies immediate priorities for public health action in support of healthy communities locally: Levelling up opportunities for health, fostering mental health gains, getting children back on track, and supporting safe spaces.

“There isn’t a person over these last two years left untouched by the pandemic. The Board of Health is committed to a recovery path that supports everyone, and especially those who experience greater disadvantage. We are turning our attention to building a very hopeful future together,” said René Lapierre, Chair of the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts. “By prioritizing recovery activities and reducing the growing backlog of services and unmet needs, Public Health Sudbury & Districts is an active partner in our collective local recovery—creating and contributing to post-pandemic strong and resilient communities.”

Since the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020, and a pandemic on March 11, 2020, Ontario’s 34 local public health agencies, in collaboration with provincial and local partners, have been at the forefront of pandemic response—controlling virus spread, preventing infections, outbreaks, and severe disease, providing vaccines, assessing and managing local risks, and learning, communicating, and acting on rapidly changing science. Public Health Sudbury & Districts has provided this leadership and essential services to support and guide the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts during this long and difficult period.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has tested us as individuals, communities, and as a society,” said Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer for Public Health Sudbury & Districts. “I am humbled by and proud of the commitment and contributions of so many people too numerous to mention—including for example, members of the public and all our friends and neighbours, retired and active health and enforcement professionals, elected leaders and their staff, business owners, teachers and parents, local service agencies, and our own Public Health team. We have relied and leaned on each other to get through this just as we will as we start on our next steps to recovery,” said Dr. Sutcliffe.

Between January 1 and December 31, 2021, Public Health reported 5 553 cases and followed up on 20 810 contacts of COVID-19 among residents in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts (for the first month of 2022, those numbers were 3 513 and 162, respectively). Public Health also led the local COVID-19 vaccination program rollout, having provided 80% of all doses in 2021. The successful vaccine program is a team effort with partnerships from more than 150 groups, including municipalities, First Nations and Indigenous agencies and communities, pharmacies, primary care providers, long-term care homes, and education partners. In addition, Public Health ensures regular and timely public communications. Its 2021 statistics include a handling of almost 25 000 calls and inquiries through its COVID-19 call centre and just under 260 000 calls to the City of Greater Sudbury and Public Health vaccination booking centre. This is in addition to frequent public updates through the website and social media platforms and ongoing communication with partners.

“These extraordinary COVID-19 response efforts have meant that Public Health has had to stop or radically reduce many programs, services, and supports offered to the community. For two years, we have redeployed the majority of our staff and redirected almost 80% of our resources to pandemic response, resulting in a large and growing backlog of public health programs, services and unmet needs,” said Dr. Sutcliffe. “Today, I am pleased to share Public Health’s plan for how we will move forward. While we continue to respond to the Omicron variant, I am optimistic that we can plan for a future in which COVID-19 is not the sole public health focus and we can contribute to the local recovery efforts ensuring healthier communities for all,” continued Dr. Sutcliffe.

Download Public Health Sudbury & Districts and the COVID-19 pandemic: From risk to recovery and resilience (PDF) and 2021 COVID-19 Response by the numbers (PDF) and learn more by visiting www.phsd.ca or calling Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).