Staff Requirements
- Staff in long-term care and home care must wear masks when providing direct patient care (this includes all affiliates that receive public funding)
Visitor Guidance
- Visitors are encouraged, but not mandated, to mask.
- Visitors seeing multiple residents are required to mask.
With an increase in viral respiratory illnesses (VRI) across the province, the Ministry of Health has introduced new masking measures to help control the spread of these illnesses.
It's important to remember that masking is just one part of a comprehensive infection prevention and control (IPAC) strategy. To enhance your efforts, SafeCare BC offers a range of resources to support you.
Masking should be included as part of a robust infection prevention and control plan that includes:
- Education and training
- Respiratory and hand hygiene
- Environmental cleaning and disinfection
- Vaccination
- Surveillance and monitoring
- Communication
Check out the resources below for support with your respiratory disease management strategy.
Resources:
Reinforce infection prevention and control practices:
- Facility operators should have alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) available at the entrances to all facilities and at the point of care.
- Facility operations should post appropriate signage at entrances, washrooms, and common areas, directing people to clean their hands.
- Healthcare workers must perform rigorous hand hygiene using the four moments of hand hygiene.
Resources:
Immunization:
- Healthcare workers are encouraged to keep up to date with immunizations
Resources:
Review and test your exposure control plan:
- Regularly review and update your exposure control plan.
- Talk to your staff about the plan, how to activate it, and their roles and responsibilities.
Resources: