COVID-19 Community InfoBulletin
Community bulletins contain the latest information about important public health issues.
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine (March 2021)
The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect people against the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death—especially as variants become more common and contagious. By choosing to be vaccinated, life in Ontario can begin to return to normal.
- Why should you take the first vaccine you’re offered, and how will you know when it’s your turn? (PDF)
- Pourquoi devriez-vous vous faire vacciner dès que le vaccin vous est proposé, et comment savoir quand ce sera le cas? (PDF)
COVID-19 variants (February 2021)
As viruses reproduce and invade the cells in our body, they inadvertently cause disease and can spontaneously mutate. Since there are billions of COVID-19 viruses reproducing around the world, some virus variants are more effective at infecting us.
- What are COVID-19 variants, how do they appear, and why do vaccines still work against them? (PDF)
- Quels sont les variants de la COVID-19, comment apparaissent-ils, et pourquoi les vaccins restent-ils efficaces contre ces variants? (PDF)
COVID-19 vaccine (January 2021)
Vaccines have been used for more than 100 years and are generally considered one of the most effective and inexpensive ways to protect ourselves and others against infectious diseases. Each of them helps us produce an immune response if the real virus should enter our bodies.
- How does the COVID-19 vaccine work, why is it safe, and why should everyone get it? (PDF)
- Comment le vaccin contre la COVID-19 fonctionne-t-il, pourquoi est-il sécuritaire et pourquoi tout le monde devrait se faire vacciner? (PDF)
Virtual care (December 2020)
Virtual care is another way to receive excellent care from your doctor. In cases when you don’t need in-person treatment, you can now communicate using your phone or your computer—whatever you are comfortable with.
- How does virtual care work and when does it work best? (PDF)
- Comment les soins virtuels fonctionnent-ils et dans quel contexte sont-ils plus efficaces? (PDF)
The flu (November 2020)
It’s important to get the flu shot every year, but it’s more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both are contagious respiratory diseases that can infect your nose, throat and lungs, weaken your immune system, and spread to other people through droplets.
- How is the flu different from COVID-19, who should get the flu shot, and where? (PDF)
- En quoi la grippe diffère-t-elle de la COVID-19, qui devrait recevoir le vaccin contre la grippe et où peut-on se faire vacciner? (PDF)
Masks (September 2020)
Wearing a mask or face covering in public is the best way to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 from infected droplets that come from your nose and mouth—especially when physical distancing is difficult. Depending on where you live, you may even be required to wear one to enter public spaces.
- When, where, and how should you wear masks to protect yourself and others? (PDF)
- Quand, où et comment devriez-vous porter un masque pour vous protéger et protéger les autres? (PDF)
Contact tracing (July 2020)
Contract tracing helps limit the spread of COVID-19 and track who has physically stumbled upon your path. This includes the COVID Alert app, as well as the OMA Pocket Journal (an easy alternative using pencil and paper to track your contacts every day for those who cannot download the app). The Pocket Journal is available in English, French, Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Hindi, Igbo, Italian, Korean, Ojibway, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Vietnamese and Urdu.
- Contact tracing helps us reopen and stay safe (PDF)
- Le traçage des contacts nous aide à rouvrir et à rester en sécurité (PDF)
You can also learn about contact tracing in 19 other languages:
- Arabic contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Chinese (simplified) contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Chinese (traditional) contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Hindi contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Igbo contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Italian contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Korean contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Ojibway contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Polish contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Portuguese contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Punjabi contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Russian contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Somali contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Spanish contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Tagalog contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Tamil contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Thai contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Vietnamese contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
- Urdu contact tracing bulletin (PDF)
The new normal at your doctor’s office (June 2020)
Doctors’ offices have been open since the start of COVID-19, but various factors have changed in health care—much like they have everywhere else. Medical facilities are an integral part of Ontario’s publicly funded, universal health care system, and even more now.