COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
As you will no doubt be aware, Ontario is in the midst of the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. While there is obviously great interest and daily discussion of the subject in the media, here is what you need to know as a valued member of the health care community in the province.
The Ministry of Health has identified a set of
guidelines for prioritizing access to COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare providers and others working in healthcare settings in accordance with the province’s phased vaccine distribution plan. The guidelines are used by Ontario’s Public Health Units, the agency responsible for administering vaccines within the areas they serve.
According to the Ministry’s guidance, chiropractors are together with other practitioners of “Non-acute rehabilitation and therapy” in the group identified as “high priority”, the third category of provider after the “highest priority” and “very high priority” groups which include hospital-based critical care, emergency and COVID-19 unit care, and other surgical specialties, pharmacists, dentists, midwifes, etc. respectively. It follows that chiropractors will get access to the vaccine after people in those groups have been offered it, as determined and managed by the local public health unit.
Websites and contact information for each local public health unit can be found at the
following link. Members are advised to continue to visit your local public health unit’s website, for the most up-to-date information and for registration for the COVID-19 vaccine, when available.
CCO will continue to publish timely information on its
COVID-19 page under the heading “COVID-19 Vaccine Information” regarding the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to regulated health professionals including chiropractors as soon as we receive it from the Ministry of Health and Ontario public health units.
Updates to Policy P-058: Policy on Considering Applications for Registration During the COVID-19 Pandemic
CCO continues to innovate and adapt to the needs of members and new applicants in light of the ongoing pandemic response.
Social Media Review Pilot Project
As has been shared previously, at the request of Council Dr. Gauri Shankar was tasked to design and undertake a pilot project to ascertain the feasibility of a program for ongoing review of member social media and online content.
Dr. Shankar has now completed his review of the social media of all Council members, peer assessors and non-Council committee members who were included in the scope of the pilot project, and is preparing an executive summary of his findings for presentation to Council.
The review was a qualitative and quantitative analysis of these Council members’ content across all social media platforms that assessed compliance with CCO’s social media and advertising policies and guidelines, identifying any exceptions. A comprehensive scoring system was used to evaluate when corrective action, if any, was required.
Council Elections Reminder
As a public member of CCO Executive Committee I know first-hand the privilege and serious responsibility shared by both public and elected members of Council to regulate chiropractic in Ontario in the public interest. CCO members, the Ministry of Health and the public have legitimate expectations that excellent candidates will stand for Council positions and be elected to serve.
I congratulate all the candidates who have allowed their name to go forward, and urge all members to note the following important dates related to the elections to Council.
Your vote matters!
March 8, 2021: CCO will post on its website and distribute by email to eligible voters in each district, relevant biographical information on the candidates.
March 15, 2021, 4 pm: Voting opens. CCO will distribute an electronic ballot to eligible voters in each district via email, and voting instructions.
March 29, 2021, 4 pm: Voting closes. CCO will post unofficial election results at the
following link.
Sincerely,
