Increasing SARS-CoV-2 vaccination rates among Black people in Canada

We read with interest the commentary by Eissa et al (August 9, 2021) highlighting racism as an important underlying cause of health disparities for Black people and communities in Canada. The Afrocentric approach and LEAP framework provide useful tools for clinicians to use in program planning and health care interactions.

We agree with the authors on the importance of collecting data on race of patients with COVID-19 and would like to clarify Public Health Ontario’s (PHO) role in collecting and reporting COVID-19 health equity data. In your article you note that “In June 2020, Public Health Ontario started collecting data on race of patients with COVID-19, after months of community advocacy.” As background, PHO provides scientific and technical advice and support to clients working in government, public health, health care and related sectors. PHO does not develop public health policy on provincial decisions around collecting COVID-19 data, including health equity or socio-demographic data elements.

In June 2020, the Reports Regulation under the Health Promotion and Protection Act (HPPA) [Reg. 569 (paragraph 11, section 5)] was amended to require health care providers to collect information related to race, income, language, and household size for any new cases of COVID-19 infection. These data are collected by local public health units and reported through the provincial public health information system to the Ontario Ministry of Health as per the HPPA. PHO supports the Ontario Ministry of Health in reporting COVID-19 data and includes health equity data elements in our reports to help the sector better understand health, social and economic disparities related to COVID-19 and support an equitable pandemic response. PHO will continue to support the Ontario Ministry of Health and other health system partners to analyze and report on important health equity data to improve the health of populations and decrease health inequities.