Guidance for long-term care facilities including infection prevention and control measures, and outbreak management.
Last updated: January 30, 2025
People who are ill or have symptoms of illness should not visit long-term care and seniors’ assisted living sites. Visitors are expected to follow precautions in place at each site.
Visitors are encouraged to wear masks in health care settings as appropriate and to practice respiratory etiquette, including:
- Clean your hands often using soap and warm water or use alcohol-based hand rub
- Sneeze or cough into your elbow instead of your hands
- If you are ill, stay away from people at higher risk of serious illness
As of January 6, 2025, there are requirements for visitors to long-term care and seniors’ assisted living settings for the remainder of respiratory season:
- Visitors are not required to wear a mask when visiting a single resident in a patient care area or communal areas.
- Visitors should wear a mask when participating in indoor group events, celebrations, gathering sand activities, except when eating and drinking.
- Visitors must wear a mask and all required personal protective equipment if asked by a healthcare worker.
You do not have to wear a medical mask in health care settings if you are:
- Eating or drinking
- Under 5 years old
- Unable to wear a mask because of a health condition, physical or mental impairment
- Unable to put on or remove a mask without help from another person
- Communicating with someone with a hearing impairment
Proof of vaccination is not required for entry but getting immunized is encouraged to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.
As per the Provincial Outbreak Guidance for Viral Respiratory Illness in Long-Term Care Settings in the event of an outbreak, the unit/facility may implement partial or full restrictions on visits/visitation under guidance and direction from the Medial Health Officer or their official designate to manage traffic into and out of the unit/facility.
As of January 6, 2025, medical masks are required for health care workers, contractors, and volunteers in patient care areas for the remainder of the respiratory illness season.
Wildfire season brings the threat of severe smoke pollution, and good preparation is even more critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in B.C. This document provides information on preparing for and preventing wildfire smoke in care facilities:
