Everything you need to know about COVID-19 if you are a person living with HIV

Everything you need to know about COVID-19 if you are a person living with HIV

The National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) and Manitoba Harm Reduction Network conducted an evaluation of harm reduction services in Manitoba, to determine the impact of the pandemic and identify best practices for harm reduction providers. This is the full length report.

The National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCCID) and Manitoba Harm Reduction Network conducted an evaluation of harm reduction services in Manitoba, to determine the impact of the pandemic and identify best practices for harm reduction providers. This is the plain language summary report.

La pandémie du nouveau coronavirus (COVID-19) suscite une crise sans précédent au niveau social, économique et dans le milieu de la santé. Alors que tout se réorganise, les personnes qui vivent avec le VIH et/ou l’hépatite C et les personnes qui consomment des drogues font face à des préoccupations et des enjeux particuliers. Le secteur communautaire travaille fort pour continuer à offrir des services et à répondre aux besoins dans un contexte de confinement et de bouleversement social.

Ce webinaire offrira un espace de discussion en français sur l’impact et la réponse à la crise de la COVID-19 par rapport au VIH, à l’hépatite C et à la réduction des méfaits. Représentant des expertises variées, les panélistes se pencheront sur les aspects épidémiologiques, cliniques et préventifs, ainsi que sur la réorganisation des secteurs communautaires et de la santé en lien avec la crise de la COVID-19. Ils offriront des idées et des stratégies pratiques à l’intention des personnes et des fournisseurs de services.

Le format du webinaire se veut interactif et favorisera un échange en temps réel avec les membres de l’auditoire.

Animé par : Sophie Wertheimer, Consultante en recherche et en évaluation communautaire

Panélistes :

Dre Cécile Tremblay, Microbiologiste infectiologue, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Ken Monteith, Directeur général, COCQ-SIDA
Laurence Mersilian, Directrice générale, CAPAHC
Patrick McDougall, Directeur de l’application et de l’évaluation des connaissances, Dr. Peter Centre
Dre Marina Klein, Centre universitaire de santé McGill (CUSM) (provisoirement)

La pandémie du nouveau coronavirus (COVID-19) suscite une crise sans précédent au niveau social, économique et dans le milieu de la santé. Alors que tout se réorganise, les personnes qui vivent avec le VIH et/ou l’hépatite C et les personnes qui consomment des drogues font face à des préoccupations et des enjeux particuliers. Le secteur communautaire travaille fort pour continuer à offrir des services et à répondre aux besoins dans un contexte de confinement et de bouleversement social.

Ce webinaire offrira un espace de discussion en français sur l’impact et la réponse à la crise de la COVID-19 par rapport au VIH, à l’hépatite C et à la réduction des méfaits. Représentant des expertises variées, les panélistes se pencheront sur les aspects épidémiologiques, cliniques et préventifs, ainsi que sur la réorganisation des secteurs communautaires et de la santé en lien avec la crise de la COVID-19. Ils offriront des idées et des stratégies pratiques à l’intention des personnes et des fournisseurs de services.

Le format du webinaire se veut interactif et favorisera un échange en temps réel avec les membres de l’auditoire.

Animé par : Sophie Wertheimer, Consultante en recherche et en évaluation communautaire

Panélistes :

Dre Cécile Tremblay, Microbiologiste infectiologue, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
Ken Monteith, Directeur général, COCQ-SIDA
Laurence Mersilian, Directrice générale, CAPAHC
Patrick McDougall, Directeur de l’application et de l’évaluation des connaissances, Dr. Peter Centre
Dre Marina Klein, Centre universitaire de santé McGill (CUSM) (provisoirement)

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a global health emergency. Here in Canada, issues like staffing, supply shortages and cancelled programs are having a major impact on harm reduction, HIV and hepatitis C programs. Many community members, especially those who are most marginalized, rely on these essential services for their health and well-being.

This interactive webinar will provide a forum for frontline workers across the country to discuss issues and ideas on how they are serving vulnerable people in their communities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will hear from a panel who will share what their agencies and communities are doing, and provide a venue for attendees to ask questions and share ideas and resources with each other. We will also share the latest science on the risks for COVID-19 among people living with HIV, hepatitis C or people who use drugs.

Moderator: Chris Hoy, Knowledge Specialist, CATIE

Speakers:

Sean Hosein, Science and Medicine Editor, CATIE
Zoë Dodd, Hepatitis C Program Coordinator, Toronto Community Hep C Program
Jason Altenberg, Chief Executive Officer, South Riverdale Community Health Centre
Holly Gauvin, Executive Director, Elevate NWO
Matthew Bonn, Consultant, HaliFIX Overdose Prevention Society, Halifax Area Network of Drug Using People (HANDUP)
Ahmed M. Bayoumi, General Internist and HIV physician at St. Michael’s Hospital
Patrick McDougall, Dr. Peter Centre

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a global health emergency. In Canada, the HIV sector is concerned with how COVID-19 will affect people living with HIV and affected communities. We are also concerned about how to effectively sustain a response to HIV during a period of profound disruption to society, the economy and the health system.

This interactive webinar will provide a forum for clinical, community and research leaders from across the country to discuss these ideas and concerns. We will hear from a panel of HIV experts on clinical, public health and community considerations for those working with key populations affected by HIV.

Moderator: Andrew Brett, Director of Communications, CATIE

Speakers:

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, Clinician Researcher, University Health Network
Dr. Alexandra King, Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health, University of Saskatchewan
John McCullagh, Co-Chair, Ontario AIDS Network and Vice-Chair, CATIE
Len Tooley, Evaluation and Advancement Director, Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC)
Un webinaire en français à propos de la COVID-19 sera prévu pour la mi-avril. Afin d’être averti de celui-ci, abonnez-vous aux Nouvelles liées aux webinaires.

During the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, many organizations have rapidly adapted their program delivery to ensure the continuity of support services for their clients. Although measures such as physical distancing are in place, HIV and hepatitis C programs are still needed – including counselling, treatment support, education and social programming. One way to adapt to the current situation is to deliver programs remotely, which can include the use of virtual platforms or the telephone.

This interactive webinar provided a forum for service providers from across Canada to share how they have adapted to the current climate by providing remote services to their clients. Speakers shared how programs were adapted and implemented, as well as challenges and solutions related to virtual and remote programming.

Moderator: Amanda Giacomazzo, Knowledge Specialist, CATIE

Speakers:

Ryan Lisk, Director, Community Health Programs, AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT)
Rachel Loewen Walker, Executive Director, OUTSaskatoon
Sarah Chown, Executive Director, YouthCO
For the resources from ACT mentioned by Ryan, please visit Sage, a resource-sharing community for Canadian HIV and hepatitis C service providers.

The emergence and global outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has fundamentally shifted the focus of healthcare, social services and public health agencies. In a time when we are practising physical distancing, it has also shifted how we think about sex and intimacy. What are the risks of COVID-19 transmission in the context of sex? What can intimacy look like during the pandemic? What messages are sexual health experts sharing with the communities they serve? This webinar will address some of these questions and more.

Leading voices in sexual health will speak to how their organizations are meeting the needs of people looking for guidance on sex in the time of COVID-19 — both online and in person.

This webinar will:

Increase knowledge of how safer sex services may be shaped by COVID-19 over the coming months.
Generate dialogue around the messages and information required for communities affected by HIV and hepatitis C.
Increase knowledge of risks of COVID-19 transmission in the context of sex.
Moderator: Shelley Taylor, Regional Health Education Coordinator, CATIE

Speakers:

Sean Hosein, Science and Medicine Editor, CATIE
Elene Lam, Executive Director, Butterfly: Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Network
Jenny Duffy, Board Chair, Maggie’s Toronto
Adam Awad, Manager of Communications, Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance of Ontario
Dane Griffiths, Director, Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance of Ontario

Resource on why it’s important and how to keep active during physical
distancing and the COVID-19 pandemic