A Message for CDA Corporate Member Provincial Dental Associations

Below is a snapshot of the Canadian Dental Association’s (CDA) pandemic work for the week ending July 10, 2020.

This Week’s Fast Facts: COVID-19 Situational Report

Worldwide: In the past week an additional 1.4 million new cases were added for a total 12.4 million infections worldwide. This represents a 13% week over week increase in new increases.

USA: In the United States (U.S.), the number of cases exceeds 3.2 million or over 300k new cases in one week. There is a very concerning surge in positive tests (over 60k daily and rising), meaning case growth again exceeded 13% while most western countries have had minimal new case growth. A current trend sees more young people being infected compared to earlier times of the U.S. epidemic, which affected older Americans. This means a lower death rate and hospital admissions in the short term, but greater community spread and increased trend of complications, hospitalizations and deaths that are anticipated to increase continuously in the coming weeks. The death rate for all infections in the U.S. represents continues to drop because of the rapid rate of new infections however the rate of hospitalization has increased dramatically in recent days.

Individual States: Some states continue to report record number of single-day cases. Spikes are associated with decreased compliance with public health social distancing recommendations, and more infections following group gatherings.

Canada: Canada saw approximately 2,000 new cases added compared to 4,000 in the previous two weeks. This is positive news and more manageable compared to the U.S. The death rate of all infections remains 8.2%, with new deaths representing far less than 1% of total cases per week which is largely attributed to outbreaks in health care settings, long-term care facilities, food processing plants, etc. with Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec still experiencing limited new cases and/or outbreaks. Many provinces saw new deaths this week, with Quebec representing 64% of all COVID-related deaths and Ontario 31%. This week some increase in reports that are related to individuals traveling outside their communities and coming into contact with individuals with COVID. Additionally, the Southwestern Ontario farming communities and the Toronto area are reporting significant new cases daily.

Government of Canada: The Government of Canada continues to prepare for a second wave this Fall, and is stockpiling personal protective equipment (PPE). The Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) response to the pandemic has moved from a crisis response to one of long-term management. PHAC is concerned about the trends in the U.S. and has been sending warnings and reminders for individual to remain vigilant to help protect themselves against contracting COVID-19

Reminder! Dental Profession to Remain Vigilant
CDA reminds the dental profession that there needs to be continued vigilance regarding the screening and pre-screening of patients.

In general, outbreaks and case transmission to date among health care personnel are associated with common areas, such as lunchrooms or washrooms. This remains a significant concern. Individuals are reminded of the following:

• Do not let your guard down.
• Continue to take all necessary precautions, including disinfecting common area surfaces, such as counters, door handles, faucets, sinks and toilets.
• Clean hands frequently.
• Respect the need to socially distance to avoid the spread of the virus.

Advocacy:

New! Economic and Fiscal Snapshot Revealed

On July 8, 2020, Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, released an “Economic and Fiscal Snapshot” in Parliament. This is not a formal Budget, nor is it a Fiscal Update, but it provides information on the general state of the economy and the government’s books as a result of the COVID-19 crisis mitigation programs.

Top-line takeaways:

• The budget deficit is projected to be $343 Billion for 2020-2021. This compares to an anticipated deficit of $34.4 Billion before the crisis. Canada’s total debt will reach $ 1.2 Trillion.
• The deficit is driven in part by a $106 Billion drop in government revenues.
• The economy is projected to shrink by 6.8% this fiscal year.
• Unemployment is projected to stay at around 10% for remainder of the year.
• The economy is expected to rebound by 5.5% by 2021

The “snapshot” was not intended to have any new policy announcements; however, two key pieces of information were announced:

1. An extra $50 Billion will be allocated for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, with some indication that the program will be extended and the qualification criteria will be changed. This is a positive development since CDA has asked for an extension previously, and are beginning to ask for the revenue qualifiers to be reviewed.
2. An extra $10 Billion will be allocated for Employment Insurance in the coming fiscal year. This would suggest that the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) will sunset as currently planned at the end of August, and that those who are still on the CERB at that time will be transferred back to the EI system.

CDA will continue to track any further developments or announcements and report updates as information becomes available.

New! Auditor General to Study Management of PPE Stockpile, COVID Programs

The Auditor-General (AG) of Canada, Karen Hogan, announced this week that she will study the government’s management of personal protective equipment (PPE) as part of her first round of audits on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study would focus on how the stockpile of vital PPE was managed, as well as how it was procured and distributed during the pandemic.

The first round of audits will also include reviews of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS).

Unlike most audits conducted by the AG's office, the study of each area will be released as it becomes available. This is being done to allow the government to respond and react if needed should a second wave of the virus hit.

The audits will consider the finances of the programs, though despite the name of the office, a more significant emphasis will be on program management, and whether if these programs delivered based on their strategic policy goals.

CDA’s Return to Practice Task Force (The Task Force):

The Task Force includes representatives from all Corporate Member PDAs. The Task Force meets bi-weekly to discuss deliverables for:

1. information exchange on return-to-practice status across the country;
2. strategies for obtaining and securing PPEs; and
3. communications to the public on dentists returning to practice.

Launched! News Release Issued and Social Media Campaign Launched: Taking Care of your Oral Health, Your Dentist is Ready to See You

On July 7, 2020, CDA issued a news release to encourage the public to see their dentist, to get back to oral health, and to restart routine care as soon as possible. This release activated CDA’s social media campaign which consists of nine posts and a range of graphics. For maximum impact, Corporate Member PDAs have been provided with the bilingual messaging and supporting graphics. The materials can be customized, liked and shared among the public and dentists, as deemed appropriate.

Upcoming: Tips on Extending the Life of PPE
To assist the Task Force in its work, CDA Oasis is in the process of putting together a video series with dentists from across the country related to their experiences in return to practice; tips on how to extend the life of PPE in their part of the country; and stories of small companies helping dentists to be creative in managing the PPE shortage. The series also explores dentists' return to practice processes; collaboration efforts; how they prepared their staff; and patient communications. Interviews shows that patients are eagerly looking to return to their dental home for regular care, and while it was difficult to return to practice initially, it is becoming easier with experience and time to adjust to the new normal. CDA Oasis has had 16 dentists lined up to be interviewed, with the majority already completed. The recruiting process is continuing. Should Corporate Member PDAs have a dentist in mind to be interviewed for this series, please forward details to Dr. Chiraz Guessaier. Stay tuned for more information.

Reminder: The Task Force continues to review and prioritize its list of deliverables. Any specific expectations or special requests of the Task Force should be fed forward by Corporate Member PDAs to their PDA member Task Force representative.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

New! Counterfeit Respirators Identified by Health Canada: On July 6, 2020, Health Canada issued an advisory regarding counterfeit N95 respirators that have been identified in Canada.

Shanghai Lansheng Light Industrial Products was found to be selling counterfeit N95 respirators under another company's name (Shanghai Dasheng Health Products Manufacture Co. Ltd) and using its device number (DTC3X N95). The counterfeit respirators were falsely labeled, marketed and sold as NIOSH-approved.

Consumers are advised to stop using these counterfeit products immediately, as they may not protect Canadians against the virus that causes COVID-19.

Reminder: CDA’s webpage on counterfeit, sub-standard and non-equivalent N95-like respirators provides helpful information about N95 compliance; varieties and markings; importing liability issues; and more. Corporate Member PDAs can continue to use this bilingual social media promo pack to help raise awareness of counterfeit PPE issues among dentists. The promo pack includes four targeted social media posts which can be paired with either CDA-branded or non-branded graphic cards. The messaging can be adjusted, as deemed appropriate.

Beware! New FedEx Scam Targeting Dental Offices Across Canada
On July 10, 2020, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) has been notified by FedEx of a new scam targeting dental offices across Canada. CAFC advised CDA that dental offices should be on the lookout for unsolicited packages arriving via FedEx claiming to contain PPE and other items such as equipment (monitors) to offices. These deliveries are part of a scheme that results in offices being charged for the subsequent delivery of these products to BAHRAIN.

What to do: CAFC/RCMP recommend that these packages not be accepted at the time of delivery, but refused and returned to sender. This prevents dental offices from being held responsible for the unsuspected shipping charges.

Corporate Member PDAs are encouraged to communicate this information to dental offices in their respective jurisdictions.

Knowledge and Information Broker:

CDA Oasis is CDA’s primary channel of communication for delivering urgent information to the dental community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week’s CDA Oasis Bulletin collated relevant and timely “news that you can use” related to COVID-19.

Reminder! CDA Essentials Issue 4 is available online. Content specific to COVID-19 includes the President’s Column, CDA at Work, N95 Respirators Guide, Your COVID-19 Questions Answered, Using Teledentistry to Reach Patients, Helping the Community in the Early Days, and Supporting Dentists During the Pandemic. Read these articles and more.

Mental Health and Wellness:

With the COVID-19 pandemic placing significant strain on individuals and families across the country, it’s more important than ever to safeguard your mental health and overall wellness.

CDA continues to actively promote available mental health and wellness support through CDSPI’s Members’ Assistance Program (MAP) via social media, its Help Desk service, and on its website. MAP can be accessed by calling 1.844.578.4040 or visiting www.workhealthlife.com

New! One wellness posts featured in the Mental Health Corner of CDA Oasis:

• Stress Reduction Tips:
  How can dentists better manage stress levels and restore balance in their lives, while coping at the same time with the workload that comes with their chosen profession? Dr. Uche Odiatu speaks about the physiology behind the stress response and shares his top three practical tips on how to reduce stress and tension in the body and attain a more peaceful state. (July 6, 2020)

CDA Help Desk:

CDA’s Help Desk continues to assist dentists and dental office employees on how to navigate and access federal government support programs.

For assistance, please call 1-866-232-0385, M-F, 7:30 A.M. – 8:00 p.m. EDT.

CDA COVID-19 Repository at a Glance:

New resources added!

CDA serves as a COVID-19 Repository for Corporate Member PDAs by collecting advice and available COVID-19 resources from external organizations and any sources that PDAs wish to share. The information is placed in the Repository and is exclusively available for use by the PDAs, for onward transmission to their respective dentist members, as deemed appropriate.

For quick reference, the following materials have been added to the Repository this week. For the complete resource listing, please log in to view them all. Login details on how to access the Repository are below.

National Resources:

Canadian Dental Association

• News Release: Taking Care of Your Oral Health: Your Dentist is Ready to See You (July 7, 2020)

Health Canada

• Advisory: Counterfeit respirators. Issue: Health Canada is warning Canadians about the risks of using counterfeit respirators as they may not protect Canadians against the virus that causes COVID-19. What to do: If your mask is counterfeit, stop using it. Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada. (July 6, 2020)

Mental Health and Wellness Resources:

Canadian Dental Association

• Stress Reduction Tips: How can dentists better manage stress levels and restore balance in their lives, while coping at the same time with the workload that comes with their chosen profession? Dr. Uche Odiatu speaks about the physiology behind the stress response and shares his top three practical tips on how to reduce stress and tension in the body and attain a more peaceful state. (July 6, 2020)

Provincial Dental Association / Regulatory Body Resources:

British Columbia Dental Association

• July 7, 2020 Member Update: CECRA Program for Dentists with TripleGuard^TM Insurance Policies; Small Business BC Non-Medical PPE Marketplace; Canadian Dental Association (CDA) News Release; Dentist Wellness Program Peer Support Session; and Canadian Dental Association (CDA) Weekly Update.

Dental Association of PEI

• Patient Questionnaire for Atlantic Bubble: PEI-based dentists can use this new form or adapt the one currently being used to reflect the fact that residents of the Atlantic Provinces may now travel amongst all four provinces without the need to self-isolate for 2 weeks when entering PEI. If patients have travelled outside the Atlantic Bubble or further afield, or have had contact with someone who has, they should be rebooked 14 days later and told to contact 811 and immediately isolate.

Newfoundland & Labrador Dental Association

• COVID-19 Update: Social Media Campaign with CDA; Mental Health and Wellness; Atlantic Bubble and Self-isolation; and more. (July 8, 2020)

Ontario Dental Association

• Your Weekly COVID-19 Update: New Source for PPE: Safe Direct Medical Supplies; Update on Guidance for Dentists and for Dental Hygienists; Joint Statement from the ODA and ODAA; Questions? We Have Some Answers; CDA Advocacy Stops Government Rent-Assistance Claw-Back; ODA in the Media; and more.

Access to COVID-19 Repository: PDA Executive Directors, Corporate Member Presidents and select staff, and CDA Board Members have access to the CDA COVID-19 Repository via the CDA Board Resource Website.

The link to access the CDA COVID-19 Repository: https://boardresources.ca/covid/.

Log-in: Please use your existing CDA Board Resources login credentials to access the COVID-19 Repository.

If you have trouble logging in, or require a login for someone in your organization who would like access, please email Dean Smith, CDA Manager of Information Technology, dsmith@cda-adc.ca.

Share: To include your organization’s resources in the COVID-19 Repository, please email Zelda Burt, CDA Communications Manager, zburt@cda-adc.ca.

The CDA COVID-19 Response Team works diligently on a range of fronts to help minimize and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the dental profession. CDA is working to address scientific, clinical, economic and business-related matters impacting dentistry, including efforts to increase awareness about the mental health and wellness of dentists, their families and dental office employees during these challenging times. CDA will communicate regular updates as new information becomes available.