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Shelley Deeks, the Public Health Ontario whistleblower on colour-coded COVID restrictions, is leaving for a job in Nova Scotia

Oct 4, 2021 , , , , by shlf

Dr. Shelley Deeks, the whistleblower who revealed the province when establishing its colour-coded COVID-19 plan, is leaving her job with Public Health Ontario, the agency announced Wednesday.

PHO was created in 2007 as an independent public health agency to address failures during SARS. Deeks is currently its chief health protection officer in charge of leading PHO’s pandemic response and serves on the province’s public health measures table, a key expert group that advises on restrictions and lockdown measures.

Deeks, who has worked with PHO since 2009, is moving to Nova Scotia to pursue “an exciting career opportunity” as that province’s new medical officer of health for surveillance, PHO spokesperson Janet Wong said in an email.

Her last day with PHO will be Jan. 8.

“She’s a great person and a great leader. I think this is a huge loss for Ontario and a huge gain for Nova Scotia,” said Dr. Andrew Morris, an infectious disease specialist with the Sinai Health System.

“When you lose one of your main scientific minds on public health — who has a prominent role at the (health measures) table — that is a really big deal.”

Deeks made headlines last month by revealing to the Star that the province’s thresholds for implementing COVID restrictions were two to four times higher than what its own public health agency had recommended.

Deeks further revealed that she only learned of the province’s final colour-coded framework when it was unveiled to the public — contradicting statements from provincial officials that its plan had been designed after full consultation with experts like the health measures table, of which Deeks is a member.

The revelations sparked a public outcry and accusations from opposition leaders that provincial officials had “lied” to Ontarians. Scientists who had been critical of the province’s colour-coded framework praised Deeks as a “hero” for speaking out against a plan that many experts considered dangerously lax.

In the wake of the Star’s story, Health Minister Christine Elliott initially said the province had no plans to change its framework and Premier Doug Ford dismissed PHO’s recommendations of lower thresholds as “one doctor’s perspective” — even though they represented the public health agency’s advice, which it had provided at the health ministry’s request.

Two days after Deeks’s comments were published, and on the heels of alarming new modelling projections, Ford the province was lowering its thresholds to levels more in line with PHO’s initial recommendations.

published on PHO’s website Wednesday, Deeks said she is excited for the next stage of her career.

“Leaving PHO, I take with me very rewarding and enriching professional experiences as well as lifelong friendships,” she said. “Public Health is a small world and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with my colleagues in Ontario.”

She will be replaced at PHO by Dr. Jessica Hopkins, who Deeks described as a “respected and dynamic public health professional and leader” who will be an “extraordinary leader” in the agency’s COVID-19 response. Hopkins currently serves as the agency’s deputy chief of health protection.

Jennifer Yang is a Toronto-based health reporter for the Star. Follow her on Twitter:

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It’s time to consider shutting down casinos, theatres and malls, leading health expert says

Jun 25, 2021 , , , , by shlf

As COVID-19 cases continue to pile up, a leading health expert says the Ontario government should consider shutting down casinos, movie theatres and shopping malls. Industry defenders, meanwhile, say closures would be unnecessary and unfair.

“Closing them completely should be a last resort. But I think we need to consider everything right now. How surgical can we afford to be?” said Dr. Abdu Sharkawy, an infectious disease specialist with the University Health Network.

Tuesday, Ontario had 554 new COVID-19 cases, down from a record-setting 700 the day before. But Sharkawy warns we haven’t come close to the peak of the second wave.

“I have no doubt that we’ll be seeing a thousand cases per day within the next two to three weeks,” said Sharkawy, who was surprised to see some Ontario casinos reopen on Monday for the first time since March. Casinos had been allowed to open since the province hit Stage 3 in mid-July, but casino operators had been negotiating unsuccessfully with the province to boost a 50-customer cap.

“They’re closing strip clubs and cutting bar hours but casinos are still open? Gambling is not essential. All it will take is one outbreak at a facility like this to show why we shouldn’t be supporting them right now,” said Sharkawy.

Those casinos are all managed by Great Canadian Gaming Co., which runs 11 casinos in Ontario, including at Woodbine and Mohawk.

Shutting casinos down wouldn’t be fair to the industry’s 17,000 workers in Ontario, said Paul Burns, president and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association, the casino industry’s national trade association.

“If they roll things back to Stage 2 for the entire province, or an entire region, that’s their prerogative. If they cherry-pick one sector of one industry, that’s problematic,” said Burns, who pointed out that casinos which have opened are nowhere near their standard capacity, and are missing some standard features: booze and table games.

“We’re the safest part of the entire hospitality industry, because we’re already so heavily regulated. And now, there are only 50 people allowed in at a time,” said Burns.

A spokesperson for the provincial ministry of health said the government is still monitoring the COVID situation across Ontario, and could implement further restrictions.

“The government, in consultation with public health experts, continues to review trends from a range of criteria on an ongoing basis to determine if public health measures need to be adjusted or tightened,” said Anna Miller.

Allowing just 50 customers into a casino that’s designed for thousands isn’t a money-maker, said Burns. Not that it’s being done for charitable purposes, he admitted.

“They wanted to demonstrate to public health officials that they could open and operate in a safe manner. It’s not economically viable at 50 people,” said Burns. Eventually, Burns said the casino industry would like to see more gamblers coming through the doors.

“That conversation stopped when the province announced a 28-day moratorium on more opening up. It’s a conversation that we’ll continue at the appropriate time. We recognize that now is not the time,” Burns said.

Mall operator Cadillac Fairview, which runs properties including the Eaton Centre, says it’s ready if the government clamps down again.

“Like many other businesses, we are closely monitoring the current COVID-19 environment and local public health updates with regards to potential restrictions being reimposed. Should this be the case, we have plans in place to act quickly and as mandated,” said Cadillac Fairview spokesperson Janine Ramparas.

A spokesperson for the country’s largest movie theatre chain said the company would follow whatever rules are put in place, but said their theatres are safe.

“I wouldn’t want to speculate about what may or may not happen, but above all our primary concern is the health and well-being of our team and guests. We have proudly and safely welcomed back over 1.5 million guests to our theatres since Canada Day, but will of course follow all heath and safety guidelines put in place at the federal, provincial and municipal level should things change,” said Cineplex spokesperson Sarah Van Lange.