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Peterborough Public Health's Andy Michell Steps Down As Board of Health Chair
/Peterborough Public Health (PPH) Board Chair Andy Mitchell is stepping down from his role as a member of the Board of Health after three years of services announced on Thursday.
Dr. Thomas Piggott (left) with Andy Mitchell (right) in from of the PPH office located on 185 King St. Piggott assumed PPH’s medical officer of health role on Dec. 1 last year. Photo courtesy of PPH.
“Andy stepped up to chair our Board during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic response in 2020,” said Dr. Thomas Piggott, Medical Officer of Health, “His leadership through the pandemic and his support for our Board, our Executive and our entire PPH team have been inspiring.”
In 2018, Mitchell joined the Board of Health after being elected as Mayor of Selwyn Township. Since being appointed Board Chair in 2020, he has chaired 32 Board of Health meetings and several committee, working group and internal meetings.
“It has been an honour to serve the public for the past 30 years and to finish my career in public service working with the Staff at Peterborough Public Health,” said Mitchell. “I want to thank the Staff for their dedication and personal sacrifices for the health of our community. Lives have been saved because of the work of public health employees. I would also like to thank my fellow Board members for their advocacy for the health of our community and commitment to public service. And to the community, stay safe, be well and in all things, be kind.”
Councilor Henry Clarke who has served as a Board of Health member and two-time Board chair since 2004 is also stepped down from his role.
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Campbellford Hospital Situation Reaches Lowest Point After Oct. 27 Outbreak
/The COVID-19 outbreak first declared on Oct. 27 has reached its lowest point at the Campbellford Memorial Hospital (CMH) with the South Wing of the Inpatient Unit having been declared over, announced on Tuesday.
File Photo.
Visitor restrictions remain in place until the outbreak on the East Wing is lifted. Due to continued capacity issues and difficulties in isolating COVID positive patients, the Endoscopy Surgical Suite remains closed until further notice as the Day Surgery area remains repurposed as patient rooms to help alleviate capacity pressures on the Inpatient Unit.
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Flu Shot Available at Peterborough Public Health and Local Pharmacies
/The influenza vaccine is available to Ontario residents over the age of six months, announced by Peterborough Public Health (PPH) on Wednesday.
File photo.
“Flu activity has started in the Peterborough region. Two facility outbreaks of the season have already been declared and community cases are expected to increase as the weather gets colder and people spend more time indoors,” says Dr. Thomas Piggott, PPH medical officer of health. “Layering on the same protections that have worked against COVID-19, such as masking with an N95/KN95 mask, staying home when sick and now receiving a flu shot are the best ways to protect yourself and your family from severe illness from the influenza virus.”
PPH is providing influenza vaccine clinics for children ages six months to two years and their household members who do not have a local primary care provider. They are held on Nov. 8, Dec. 13 and Jan. 10 from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
PPH is also providing a community influenza vaccine clinic at the Cavan Monaghan Community Centre on Nov. 17 from 3:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
The following is a list of participating pharmacies:
Apsley Pharmacy, 168 Burleigh St., Apsley 705-656-3301
Aylmer St. Pharmacy, 296 Aylmer St. N., Peterborough 705-741-1646
Bridgenorth Pharmacy, 871 Ward St., Bridgenorth 705-292-7200
Brookdale IDA Pharmacy, 829 Chemong Rd., Peterborough 705-874-7128
Burnham Medical Pharmacy, 370 Burnham St., Peterborough 705-741-1199
Care Rx, 555 George St. N. Unit 3., Peterborough 705-749-5888
Centennial Pharmacy, 2375 County Rd. 45, Norwood 705-639-5535
Charlotte Care Pharmacy, 270 Charlotte St., Peterborough 705-536-7777
Costco Pharmacy, 485 The Parkway, Peterborough 705-750-2609
Fadhil Pharmacy, 184 Marina Blvd., Peterborough 705-743-1004
Kashyap’s Pharmasave, 1040 Lansdowne St. West, Peterborough 705-742-2461
Keene Drug Mart, 1105 Heritage Line, Keene 705-295-9800
Kinmount Pharmacy, 31 County Rd. 503, Kinmount 705-488-1960
Havelock Community Pharmacy, 16 Ottawa St. West, Havelock 705-778-3368
Havelock Pharmacy, 44 Ottawa St. W., Havelock 705-778-3851
High St. Guardian Pharmacy, 815 High St., Peterborough 705-874-8080
Lakefield IDA Pharmacy, 32 Queen St. Lakefield 705-652-8184
Lansdowne Pharmacy Remedy’s Rx, 196 Lansdowne St. E. Peterborough 705-874-1011
Loblaw Pharmacy (Independent), 400 Lansdowne St. E. Peterborough 705-740-0263
Loblaw Pharmacy (No Frills), 230 George St. N., Peterborough 705-741-2401
Loblaw Pharmacy (Superstore), 769 Borden Ave., Peterborough 705-748-6020
Mather & Bell Pharmacy, 769 Park St. S., Peterborough 705-745-4770
Medical Centre Pharmacy, 707 Charlotte St., Peterborough 705-743-3484
Medicine Shoppe, 860 Chemong Rd., Peterborough 705-743-8443
Peterborough Hospital Pharmacy, 1 Hospital Dr., Peterborough 705-749-0008
Pharmasave The Clinic Pharmacy, 26 Hospital Dr. Peterborough 705-748-5859
Rexall, 1154 Chemong Rd., Peterborough 705-742-7616
Rexall, 85 George St. N., Peterborough 705-748-9733
Sherbrooke Heights Pharmacy, 1625 Sherbrooke St. W., Peterborough 705-748-9800
Shoppers Drug Mart, 250 Charlotte St., Peterborough 705-743-3541
Shoppers Drug Mart, 971 Chemong Rd., Peterborough 705-745-2401
Shoppers Drug Mart, 1875 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough 705-749-6547
Shoppers Drug Mart, 741 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough 705-748-6141
Shoppers Simply Pharmacy, 361 George St. N., Peterborough 705-742-3002
Sobeys Pharmacy, 1200 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough 705-748-5309
Sullivan’s I.D.A. Pharmacy, 71 Hunter St. E., Peterborough 705-742-3469
Village Pharmacy, 135 Queen St., Lakefield 705-652-3300
Walmart Pharmacy, 950 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough 705-742-9204
Walmart Pharmacy, 1002 Chemong Rd., Peterborough 705-742-5566
Westmount Pharmacy, 1293 Clonsilla Ave. Peterborough 705-741-5008
Eligible residents can book an appointment at a PPH clinic by calling 705-743-1000 ext. 331.
PPH reminds everyone that children ages six months to under five years should not receive any other vaccine, including the influenza vaccine, 14 days before or after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Anyone aged five and older can get their COVID-19 and influenza vaccine on the same day. The flu shot is not being offered at the Peterborough Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics.
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Mental Health and Addictions Program ‘Moving Beyond Addiction’ Opens in Peterborough
/Right to Heal, a local not-for-profit organization, will run ‘Moving Beyond Addiction’ and Redpath programs over a 16-month period announced Monday.
From left to right: Randy Mellow, chief of Peterborough County-City paramedics; Dave Smith, member of Provincial parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha; Peggy Shaughnessy, Whitepath Consulting founder and president; Tim Farquharson, acting Peterborough Police chief; David Smith, member of Provincial parliament for Scarborough Centre; and the Hon. Michael Tibollo, Minister for mental health and addictions. Photo by Felicia Massey.
Through a $367,480 investment from the Government of Ontario, 320 people in the community will receive the program’s services.
Clients will undergo an evidence-based assessment once referred to determine the correct treatment for their needs. The assessment will consider multiple variables including trauma, abuse, domestic violence, housing status, financial situation and severity of the substance abuse. Once the assessment is complete they will enter into one-on-one counselling and/or the Redpath Intervention program.
Redpath programs use a combination of clinical and cultural approaches while focusing to create a healthy mind, body and spirit.
The intervention program consists of 21 three-hour-long counselling and training sessions in both community and institutional settings. Clients will then enter an aftercare program where they will complete two hours a week of group training sessions that focus on personal development and a full reintegration back into society.
“The Redpath services bring wellness and recovery home (to Peterborough) and will add to what is currently being provided in the City”, said Peggy Shaughnessy, Whitepath Consulting founder and president. “It’s very exciting as a developer of the Redpath model to be home.”
Those referred to this program will typically be unhoused/at risk of homelessness and suffering from mental health and addiction issues. The Elizabeth Fry Society will administer the referral process, enabling the funding for the pilot to flow fully to program services. The program will also accept family and self-referrals.
Right to Heal will work in collaboration with these specific prioritized target populations:
Peterborough Police, Peterborough County-City Paramedics and Peterborough Regional Health Centre refer clients who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing opioid overdoses.
Health and social services referring clients from places such as the Consumption and Treatment Services/Opioid Response Hub, Brock Mission, Cameron House and One Roof Community Centre.
Last year, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith announced $500,000 in annual funding to expand detox services at Fourcast.
Earlier this year, the Peterborough Opioid Response Hub opened with $1,350,000 in annual funding.
“Overdose deaths continue to rise in Peterborough. It’s a crisis that affects families and loved ones across our community. It is clear that more treatment spaces are needed; we need to expand services and lower barriers of access if we want to address this crisis,” said Dave MPP Smith. “Moving Beyond Addiction will save lives. It is a proven program that will help those struggling with addiction move beyond addiction and reintegrate back into society.”
Debbie Carriere is an example of Redpath’s success, having taken the program 15 years ago.
In 2006, the mother of three worked as a psychologist at Central East Correctional Centre and was working towards her Ph.D. when she experienced a traumatic life event that would trigger trauma from her past.
Over the course of nine months after this Carriere abused substances and was arrested, eventually ending up in a psychiatric hospital in Jan. 2007. After returning to Peterborough she met Shaughnessy and began the Redpath program.
Carriere is now the executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society.
“I needed help, I needed something different, and it literally saved my life,” said Carriere. “It really saved my life and it saved the lives of my children.”
Visit Ontario.ca/MentalHealth or call 2-1-1 to access help and learn more about publicly available mental health and addiction supports in Peterborough.
The Main Ingredient Under New Ownership After 43 Years Of Serving Peterborough
/The Main Ingredient torch has been passed on as longtime owners Ken and Deb Fraser have sold the Peterborough business to couple Mike and Whitney Hall announced in a Facebook post on Friday.
From left to right: Mike Hall, Deb Fraser, Ken Fraser, Whitney Hall and Summer Hall. The Main Ingredient first opened at 326 Charlotte St. and had a now-closed second location called Main Ingredient Too on 111 Hunter St. E. Photo courtesy of The Main Ingredient.
Located at 326 Charlotte St., The Main Ingredient has been selling supplements, ingredients, dried fruits and more since 1979.
The Fraser’s opened the environmentally-conscious, buy-what-you-need, bulk health food store and promoted the use of reusable containers to reduce excess waste. After 43 years they have decided to retire as the owners of The Main Ingredient.
“We will always be thankful for every customer who chose to shop local and step through our doors. We’ve always known that we have the BEST customers and Peterborough is the best place to do business,” wrote Fraser. “There comes a time, however, when one must decide to pass on the baton. Deb and I are retiring. We have a lovely couple that have chosen to take on that baton.”
The Halls are musicians and their band Paper Shakers performed at Peterborough Musicfest in 2019.
Mike began working at The Main Ingredient a year and a half ago. He quickly stepped into a managerial role, as Whitney helped the brand with social media and marketing.
In August 2021, he was approached by Ken to take over the store.
“There were so many qualities I think that Ken saw of himself in Mike, and knowing that we are having our own little family I think he sees him and Deb,” said Whitney.
The new owners are used to being business partners in the music industry but say buying and running The Main Ingredient has been a learning curve.
“We’re used to promoting singles and asking the press to come to a rock show, and now we’re like ‘do you need a cup of flour?’” laughed Mike.
These new owners say they are excited to explore what they can bring to the business and hope to expand the catalogue of kitchenware and kitchen decor items they sell.
“It’s been really fun for me to get to dream a little bit for the both of us, like where we want this to go and how we can best serve our community,” said Whitney. “We would love to turn The Main Ingredient into a foodie community. Somewhere where people love to cook and love to eat, where they can come to find new ingredients and products.”
“We want to create a very fun culture for students, the elderly, everybody. A place to come eat food, talk about food and have a good time,” said Mike.
Peterborough Public Health Issues Alert From Increased Drug Poisonings
/Peterborough Public Health (PPH) issued a warning following an increase in suspected drug poisonings on Monday afternoon.
File Photo.
On Saturday, PPH detected a higher than usual number of drug-related Emergency Department Visits.
“Peterborough Public Health has detected an increase in opioid-related harms,” said Jocelyn Qualtrough, PPH health promoter. “This is thought to be the result of a product recently sold as fentanyl which may be contaminated with toxic substances of inconsistent or increased potency. We are now reaching out to the public as part of our enhanced response and hope to prevent further harm in the community.”
There were a total of five drug-related poisonings that were treated by the emergency department. PPH suspects to be the result of an opiate product with an increased level of toxicity.
PPH reminds the public that street drugs may be cut or mixed with toxic substances. Even a small amount of drug can be fatal. In case of exposure to these substances, give Naloxone. This may improve breathing but may not help the individual regain consciousness. Call 911 and continue to monitor breathing until medical help arrives.
If you use drugs, Peterborough Public Health recommends that you:
Don’t use drugs alone. Visit the Consumption Treatment Services site at 220 Simcoe St., open 9:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., days a week.
If using with a friend, do not use at the exact same time.
Have a plan – Ask someone to check on you or call the National Overdose Response Service 1-888-688-6677.
Carry a naloxone kit. Keep it visible and close by.
Avoid mixing drugs.
Test your drug by using a small amount first.
Call 911 immediately if someone cannot be resuscitated after naloxone is administered.
PPH has released a list of signs of an opioid overdose and what to do in case of one:
Skin is cold and clammy
Fingernails or lips are blue or purple
Body is very limp
Can’t wake the person up
Deep snoring or gurgling sounds
Breathing is very slow, erratic or has stopped
Pupils are very small
If an overdose is witnessed: Call 911. Give naloxone. Continue to check for breathing. Stay with the person until help arrives.
Under Canada’s Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, anyone who seeks medical help for themselves or for someone else who has overdosed, WILL NOT be charged for possessing or using drugs for personal use.
Residents can anonymously report drug poisonings and other bad drug reactions using the ‘Drug Reporting Tool’.
“We hope that this alert will reach widespread audiences,” said Qualtrough. “We encourage members of the public to use the drug reporting tool.”
Any information shared through the tool supports PPH and community partners in responding to and preventing drug poisonings in the Peterborough area.
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Peterborough Public Health COVID-19 Risk Index Moves to High
/Peterborough Public Health (PHH) has reported that their Local COVID-19 Risk Index has moved from “moderate” to “high” on Wednesday.
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“We are seeing high rates of COVID-19 circulating in our community,” says Dr. Thomas Piggott, medical officer of health. “However, COVID-19 is not the only respiratory illness that has started to circulate. We know that COVID-19 measures can protect us against respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and influenza and it’s important that we get back to the basics to prevent further transmission.”
Public health is detecting an increase in all indicators including wastewater data, PCR test positivity, RAT count, case rate and hospitalizations.
In the last week, four COVID-19 related deaths were reported.
Current PPH guidance under the high level is to wear a mask for interactions with people outside of your household, limit indoor social gatherings and avoid high-risk settings.
Individuals who are at higher risk, such as those not up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines, older adults (60+) and immunocompromised individuals are especially encouraged to take additional precautions, such as wearing a mask for all interactions with people outside of your household and avoiding indoor social gatherings.
Locally Made Docuseries of Concussion Awareness Released for Rowan's Law Day
/In honour of Rowan’s Law Day to raise concussion awareness, local man Ryan Sutton and project leader Seth Mendelsohn have released a docuseries, ‘Recognize, Remove, Manage, Prevent’ for Peterborough schools and the general public on Wednesday.
Erica Evans, Trent University women’s field lacrosse head coach (pictured) is one of several Peterborough figures featured in the docuseries. Photo courtesy of PACA.
