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Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coron...ate-as-intended-for-covid-19-report-1.5355582
Public health pandemic 'alert' system didn't operate as intended for COVID-19: report
Michael Tutton
The Canadian Press
Published Saturday, March 20, 2021 3:22PM EDT Last Updated Sunday, March 21, 2021 9:58AM EDT
An interim review of why Ottawa's early pandemic warning system failed to issue a formal alert on COVID-19 has described a lack of detailed knowledge of the system by senior managers.
The audit dated Feb. 26, and released on Saturday, was ordered by federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu after reports the Global Public Health Intelligence Network didn't operate as intended at the onset of the pandemic.
The interim report concluded the monitoring system did identify the outbreak of the pneumonia that would become COVID-19 on the night of Dec. 30, 2019, and included this information from Wuhan, China, in a special report to Canadian public health officials the next day.
But the report notes that without sending up a formal alert, international partners that rely on Canada's information were left to rely on other sources.
"That (the system) identified early open-source signals of what would become COVID-19 and promptly alerted senior management does not mean that the system is operating as smoothly or as clearly as it could and should," the report concluded.
"As international subscribers only receive alerts, some jurisdictions did not receive an early signal directly."
The review panel includes Mylaine Breton and Paul Gully, who are both experts in public health and health policy, and Margaret Bloodworth, who has a background in national security.
The panel's report also found that prior to the pandemic, the alert system lacked standard operating procedures. Senior managers also didn't fully understand the rationale and the intended audience for alerts, it added.
The system is set up to gather thousands of internet-based reports from around the globe, which are narrowed down to items that are deemed credible enough for public health officials to explore further and compile into a daily report...
Public health pandemic 'alert' system didn't operate as intended for COVID-19: report
Michael Tutton
The Canadian Press
Published Saturday, March 20, 2021 3:22PM EDT Last Updated Sunday, March 21, 2021 9:58AM EDT
An interim review of why Ottawa's early pandemic warning system failed to issue a formal alert on COVID-19 has described a lack of detailed knowledge of the system by senior managers.
The audit dated Feb. 26, and released on Saturday, was ordered by federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu after reports the Global Public Health Intelligence Network didn't operate as intended at the onset of the pandemic.
The interim report concluded the monitoring system did identify the outbreak of the pneumonia that would become COVID-19 on the night of Dec. 30, 2019, and included this information from Wuhan, China, in a special report to Canadian public health officials the next day.
But the report notes that without sending up a formal alert, international partners that rely on Canada's information were left to rely on other sources.
"That (the system) identified early open-source signals of what would become COVID-19 and promptly alerted senior management does not mean that the system is operating as smoothly or as clearly as it could and should," the report concluded.
"As international subscribers only receive alerts, some jurisdictions did not receive an early signal directly."
The review panel includes Mylaine Breton and Paul Gully, who are both experts in public health and health policy, and Margaret Bloodworth, who has a background in national security.
The panel's report also found that prior to the pandemic, the alert system lacked standard operating procedures. Senior managers also didn't fully understand the rationale and the intended audience for alerts, it added.
The system is set up to gather thousands of internet-based reports from around the globe, which are narrowed down to items that are deemed credible enough for public health officials to explore further and compile into a daily report...