Ottawa Public Health led well in pandemic but should remain vigilant, report finds – CBC

Third-party report suggests COVID-19 surveillance should be continued

Sep 20, 2022

A third-party report says Ottawa Public Health (OPH) showed leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but that future crises will require it to remain vigilant.

Dr. Paul Gully’s report examining the role of the local health unit during the pandemic looked favourably upon its response to an ever-changing emergency.

During his remarks, the public health consultant said the key was recognizing the COVID-19 pandemic was different than any other that came before it.

“Ottawa Public Health was willing to look at the information coming forward — the surveillance: local, national, international — and then make the necessary changes in terms of the traditional public health response to that,” said Gully, a professor at University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health, at the Ottawa Board of Health’s Monday meeting.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/review-oph-pandemic-1.6588407