Category(s):
Health
Status: Closed
Principal: Sandra Magalhaes
Project Number: P0061
Year Approved: 2020
Short-term pandemic planning is at the forefront of government and the Regional Health Authority’s efforts as they focus on controlling infection and ensuring sufficient health system capacity. However, it is just as important to plan for the time when infection is contained, and recovery efforts begin. Population-based risk indicators for communities across New Brunswick can support decision-making to help limit community spread and exacerbation of infection in those most at risk.
While stay-at-home measures aim to reduce community spread of infection, they increase proximity among those living in collective dwellings. In the absence of complete lockdown, the opportunity for infection to enter the home exists. Those living in residential facilities (e.g. special care homes) and apartments have greater risk. As measures relax, schools will re-open, further increasing opportunity for transmission across households. Public health measures to control spread of COVID-19 may also have unintended consequences for individuals residing alone, low-income families, children with special needs, individuals susceptible to mental health challenges and those with chronic conditions unable to manage them effectively.
The goal of this research project is to develop an analytical framework to create community-level indicators, including poor health outcomes due to infection, and greater risk of infection in collective dwellings, that are relevant to COVID-19 pandemic planning and recovery efforts in NB.
