Item - 2020.EX19.21

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1. City Council request the Medical Officer of Health to report to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the second quarter of 2021 or sooner on strategies and outcomes on how current health programs are reaching target demographics, including persons living with disabilities, in order to ensure their needs are being met.

2. City Council request the Medical Officer of Health to develop public health guidelines and recommendations to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 to people with disabilities living independently outside of congregate settings, and report back to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee in the second quarter of 2021 or sooner, such recommendations to include:

a. expanding access to affordable, or free, personal protective equipment;

b. increasing access and delivery of the influenza vaccine via mobile medical units;

c. working with the Toronto Transit Commission and Wheel-Trans on flexible programs, and times, to accommodate medical appointments; and

d. a communication plan that takes into consideration the needs of all members of the disability community, including deaf people and people with developmental disabilities.

3. City Council request the Province of Ontario to work in partnership with Toronto Public Health to authorize paramedics or other emergency medical service providers to deliver COVID-19 testing.

4. City Council request the Province of Ontario to accelerate and expand the availability of mobile medical programs to include access to COVID-19 testing and the delivery of the influenza vaccine to populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19 including women, racialized and low-income populations, and people living with disabilities.

Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation on Toronto Public Health's Response and Efforts Related to COVID-19 to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee.