COVID-19
Important Health Notices on COVID-19
The Ministry of Health relies on the AOM to disseminate ministry information to all AOM members during a health emergency such as an outbreak or pandemic. The AOM monitors outbreaks and alerts midwives as soon as possible with the relevant available information to assist in the next phase of planning and implementation for a specific outbreak.
To track prevalence in your region, see the Ontario Respiratory Virus Data Tool and the PHO Wastewater Signal. To monitor the impact of respiratory virus load on your hospital system, see the Acute Care Enhanced Surveillance system dashboards.
Information for clients
- Public Health Agency of Canada: COVID-19 Being Prepared
- COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Ontario
- Government of Canada Travel Advice re: COVID-19
- Provincial Council for Maternal and Child Health (PCMCH) COVID-19 vaccine information for pregnant and breastfeeding people
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Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada: COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy
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Ministry of Health: Self assessment screening tool and Testing locations
- Scarborough Health Network’s VaxFacts+ Clinic: offers telephone consultations regarding Covid-19 and other routine vaccines in more than 200 languages
Midwives continue to provide uninterrupted service to their clients but the way care is delivered may differ as more practices grow comfortable with virtual visits. Midwives are screening their clients for symptoms of COVID-19 and ordering testing for COVID-19 on their behalf when clinically indicated. However, midwives are NOT ordering testing for COVID-19 for the general public.
If you are a midwifery client with any symptoms of COVID-19, or if you are self-isolating for any reason, please do not present yourself at clinic. Instead, call ahead and make alternate arrangements with your midwife. If you have severe breathing difficulties (or any other emergency), please call 9-1-1.
Information for midwives
AOM resources
Members only resources:
- COVID-19 Bulletin
- COVID-19 Funding
- COVID-19 Resource for Midwives iOS mobile app
- Sample protocols and shared resources (see Infection Prevention and Control)
Resources:
- COVID-19 Resource for Midwives iOS app (FREE)
- COVID-19 Resource for Midwives Android app (FREE)
- COVID-19 clinical FAQ for midwives
- College of Midwives of Ontario: COVID-19 FAQs, Professional Practice Advice
- Mitigating Vaccine Fatigue for 2023-2024, Centre for Effective Practice
- April 16, 2021: Home birth during the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF, 768 KB), French: L'accouchement à la maison pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 (PDF, 523 KB).
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Dec 3, 2020: IHI: How to Make Perinatal Telehealth Safer and More Equitable
- May 6, 2020: Water birth and COVID-19 (PDF, 411 KB)
- Apr 20, 2020: Virtual visit guide for midwives (PDF, 459 KB)
- Apr 1, 2020: PPE performance levels chart (PDF, 1 MB)
Clinical guidance re: COVID-19 in pregnancy and postpartum
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Ministry of Health: Anti-viral treatment screener
- Ministry of Health: Testing and treatment
- Feb 2023: Canadian Pediatric Society Statement on care considerations for infants born to mothers with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection
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Jan 2023:SOGC Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy (revised and reaffirmed, Jan 2023) (PDF, 376 KB)
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Feb 2022: Ontario College of Family Physicians: Balancing in-person and virtual care (PDF, 494 KB)
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Jan 2022: RCOG/RCM: Treatment of COVID-19 in pregnant patients (PDF, 571 KB)
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Jan 2022: BORN Ontario COVID-19 Revised Case Report Form (PDF, 498 KB)
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Jan 2022: BORN Ontario COVID-19 Cheat Sheet (PDF, 190 KB)
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July 2021: PCMCH Maternal-Neonatal COVID-19 General Guideline v3 (PDF, 398 KB)
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June 3, 2021: Communique to health practitioners: Reports of Myocarditis/pericarditis after COVID-19 vaccination (PDF, 168 KB)
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May 27, 2021: SOGC COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy FAQ for Health Care Providers (PDF, 333 KB)
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Apr 20, 2021: SOGC Statement on the COVID-19 vaccines and rare adverse outcomes of thrombosis associated with low platelets (PDF, 430 KB)
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Apr 16, 2021: COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy & breastfeeding patient decision-making tool (PDF, 541 KB)
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Feb 15, 2021: SOGC statement on pregnant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic (Reaffirmed) (PDF, 751 KB)
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Feb 2, 2021: SMFM Management Considerations for Pregnant Patients With COVID-19 (PDF, 549 KB)
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Jan 2021: Breastfeeding Committee of Canada - Key messages: Infant feeding and COVID-19 (PDF, 228 KB) - Oct 28, 2020: PCMCH COVID-19 pregnancy care guideline (PDF, 1.5 MB)
- Oct 2020: RCOG/RCM Guidance for provision of midwife-led settings and home birth in the evolving COVID-19 pandemic (PDF, 164 KB)
Ministry and government updates
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May 2023 - MOH Ontario Public Health Standards: Requirements for Programs, Services and Accountability, Infectious Disease Protocol, Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease-Specific Information (PDF, 326 KB)
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April 2023 - Memo re: Ontario’s assessment centres and clinical assessment centres (PDF, 140 KB)
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April 2023 - PHO Interim Infection Prevention and Control Measures Based on Respiratory Virus Transmission Risk in Health Care Settings (PDF, 288 KB)
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Jan 25, 2023 - COVID-19 Provincial Testing Guidance (PDF, 175 KB)
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December 8, 2022 - Access to COVID-19 antiviral treatment (Paxlovid): Information for primary care providers and other health care providers caring for patients in the community (PDF, 230 KB)
Research updates
- January 2023: Smith ER, et al, Adverse maternal, fetal, and newborn outcomes among pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection: an individual participant data meta-analysis
- May 2022: CANCOVID-Preg, Association of SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Pregnancy With Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes
- March 2022: Association of COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy With Adverse Peripartum Outcomes and the associated infographic.
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June 3, 2021: CANCOVID-Preg: Canadian surveillance of COVID-19 in pregnancy report #4 (PDF, 794 KB)
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June 3, 2021: CANCOVID-Preg: Canadian surveillance of COVID-19 in pregnancy report #4 infographic (PDF, 116 KB)
Ethics
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Dec 29, 2020: MOH Ethical framework for COVID-19 vaccination (PDF, 167 KB)
- Apr 21, 2020: Ethical framework for decision-making for midwives during COVID-19 pandemic (Fillable template; DOCX, 126 KB)
- Apr 21, 2020: Ethical framework for decision-making for midwives during COVID-19 pandemic (PDF, 254 KB)
- Apr 21, 2020: Ethical framework for decision-making for midwives during COVID-19 pandemic (Exemplar; PDF, 553 KB)
- PCMCH Ethics in a pandemic influenza crisis: a framework for decision-making (PDF, 98 KB)
- Joint Centre for Bioethics: Ethical framework for the allocation of PPE (PDF, 460 KB)
- JCB: Ethical considerations for pandemic planning (PDF, 157 KB)
Infection prevention and control and personal protective equipment
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September 2023 - 2023-24 Respiratory Illness Season Preventing the Spread of Respiratory Viruses in Patient Care Areas of Your Clinic, Ontario College of Family Physicians
- Apr 1, 2020: PPE performance levels chart (PDF, 1 MB)
- Feb 14, 2020: PHO coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) self-isolation: guide for caregivers, household members and close contacts (PDF, 487 KB)
- Feb 12, 2020: FAQs from the Ministry of Health on access to PPE (PDF, 98 KB)
- Infection Prevention & Control webpage
Infographics:
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Doffing and cleaning PPE for reuse (PDF, 1 MB)
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Reuse or extended use of gowns (PDF, 109 KB)
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Doffing surgical masks for reuse (PDF, 811 KB)
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Doffing and storing N95s (PDF, 619 KB)
Pandemic planning
- Ontario health plan for an influenza pandemic
- Outbreak and pandemic template protocol (under Infection Prevention & Control tab)
- Role of the midwife in disaster/emergency preparedness (PDF, 217 KB)
- Stand on guard for thee: Ethical considerations in preparedness and planning for pandemic influenza (PDF, 157 KB)
Template signage
- Sept 24, 2020: MPG signage in colour and BW (EN) (PDF, 127 KB)
- Sept 24, 2020: MPG signage in colour and BW (FR) (PDF, 131 KB)
- Mar 5, 2020: MOH screening signage COVID-19 in Farsi (PDF, 153 KB)
- Mar 5, 2020: MOH screening signage COVID-19 in simplified Chinese (PDF, 149 KB)