Policy: Infection Prevention and Control Measures for Preventing Viral Respiratory Illness - May 2, 2024

• This policy protects health care workers (clinical and non-clinical), patients, residents, clients, visitors, and the public by outlining provincial expectations for the implementation of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in health authority facilities, programs and services, including outpatient clinics and ambulatory care settings.

Guidance: The Hierarchy for Infection Prevention and Exposure Control Measures for Communicable Diseases - Updated  November 2024

• The updated hierarchy of infection prevention and exposure control measures for communicable disease is available from the Provincial Infection Control Network (PICNet) website
  

Point of Care Risk Assessment (PCRA) - Updated July 25, 2023

• The PCRA is part of routine precautions that must be conducted by a health care worker (HCW) before every patient, client or resident interaction to assess the likelihood of exposing themselves and/or others to infectious agents. This assessment informs the selection of appropriate actions and personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize the risk of exposure. When additional precautions are required, the PCRA may indicate further PPE is required.
  

‎Posters for facility entrances are available on the signage and posters page.

Infection Prevention and Control: Guidance for Acute Health-Care Settings – Updated August 31, 2021

• This document provides infection control guidance for health care professionals working in acute care settings including emergency departments, as well as outpatient and ambulatory care units within acute care facilities to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 as well as outlining measures for providing care safely in those settings, including interactions with patients. 

Outbreak Management Protocol for Acute Care Settings - Updated August 25, 2022

• This document provides guidance to prepare for, detect and respond to outbreaks of COVID-19 in acute care settings. 
  

Infection prevention and control guidance for physicians, nursing professionals, midwives and allied health care providers working in community-based clinic settings:

• Community-based health care page.
  

This document provides guidance for B.C. home and community health-care providers and workers to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 by applying infection prevention and control (IPC) best practices. This guidance outlines the IPC measures to provide care safely in homes, including those with confirmed COVID-19 and suspected COVID-19 

• ‎‎COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control: Guidance for Home and Community Health Care 
  updated November 30, 2021
  

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• Guidance for Discontinuing Additional Precautions Related to COVID-19 for Admitted Patients in Acute Care and in High-Risk Outpatient Areas - updated September 20, 2022
  

‎For guidance about person protective equipment (PPE) for environmental service staff in health care facilities, as well as information on environmental cleaning, laundry and waste management, see the information sheet for environmental service providers in health care settings.

‎Infection Prevention and Control Requirements for COVID-19 in Long-Term Care and Seniors’ Assisted Living - ‎This document provides IPC guidance and requirements to Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities and Seniors Assisted Living (AL) residences for preventing and controlling COVID-19.  It provides guidance on PPE, visitors, IPC practices and outbreak protocol. - Updated August 31, 2022

Outbreak Management Protocol for Long-Term Care and Seniors’ Assisted Living - This document provides guidance to detect and respond to outbreaks of COVID-19 for staff, health-care workers and administrators of long-term care and associated seniors’ assisted living facilities - Updated August 25, 2022 

As the SARS-CoV-2 virus associated with COVID-19 illness spreads globally, over time it acquires genetic mutations resulting in variants of the virus. Variants are designated as variants of concern (VoC) when they spread more easily, cause more serious illness, impact treatment or vaccine effectiveness. 

New variants are transmitted in the same way as the original (non-variant) SAR-CoV-2 virus.  Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures for COVID-19 must continue to be diligently followed and reinforced in healthcare settings, regardless of VoC status. Based on local epidemiology, further measures (e.g., contact tracing, outbreak management and additional personal protective equipment) may be recommended by IPC teams, workplace health and safety teams and/or medical health officers. 

More information on variants of concern. 

Patients under investigation should be managed with contact and droplet precautions.

Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs and throat swabs can be performed using contact and droplet precautions, and HCW must wear gown, gloves, surgical/procedural mask and eye protection (face shield or goggles) and do not require the use of an N95 respirator for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.

Use a N95 respirator or equivalent with gown, gloves, and eye protection (face shield or goggles) when performing aerosol generating medical procedures (AGMP) on patients suspected (patients with COVID-19 risk) or confirmed to have COVID-19.

For information about personal protective equipment (PPE), how to put it on and take it off, visit the personal protective equipment page.

‎Archived: COVID-19 surgical resources have been archived and are available on the PICNet website.

‎Ventilation is an integral part of an overall strategy to provide acceptable air quality in health-care facilities. Acceptable ventilation helps to reduce the spread of communicable respiratory infectious agents, including respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, when used in combination with other infection prevention and control and public health measures.

Learn more from the Provincial Infection Prevention Control Network of B.C.: Indoor ventilation resources

Provincial IPC Guidelines for Portable Fans in Health Care Settings in BC - October 2023

• This guidance is for infection prevention and control, workplace health and safety, health-care workers and operational leadership in health care settings. It provides information on IPC practices to minimize the transmission risks of communicable diseases, including viral respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and influenza. 

Regular cleaning and disinfection are essential for preventing the transmission of microorganisms from contaminated objects and surfaces. This quick reference guide is for health care workers  and environmental services providers in health authority outpatient clinics and ambulatory care settings. It covers key principles for environmental cleaning and disinfection, waste and laundry management.

• Environmental cleaning and disinfection in clinic settings quick reference guide poster - updated January 8, 2024‎

‎Bleach: sodium hypochlorite (5.25%)

• 500 ppm (10mL bleach to 990mL water) - Used for disinfecting surfaces and medical equipment (e.g. counters, door knobs, stethoscope, BP cuff). Allow surface to air dry naturally

• 1000 ppm  (20mL bleach to 980mL water) - Used for disinfecting surfaces contaminated with bodily fluids and waste (e.g. vomit, diarrhea, mucus, feces) (after cleaning with soap and water first). Allow surface to air dry naturally.
  

Accelerated hydrogen peroxide (0.5%) - Used for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and medical equipment.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QUATs) or ‘alkyl dimethyl ammonium chlorides’ on the product label - Used for disinfecting of surfaces (e.g., floors, walls, furnishings).

How to Clean Your Hands Poster (PDF) - updated July 6, 2023