Earlier today, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix announced new changes to visitation in long-term care and assisted living. Here’s what you need to know:

• On March 18, social visitation in long-term care and assisted living will be expanded to allow further connection between residents and their families. Policies will be restored to what they were prior to the measurements introduced to protect against the omicron variant.
• Protective measures such as mask-wearing, rapid tests, proof of vaccination, physical distancing, and hand washing will remain in place.
• Operators have been asked to communicate their plans on restoring visitation with their families over the next week, as this may include visits being planned or spaced out to accommodate staffing levels.

These changes are resulting from the steady downward trend BC’s COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations are showing.

While Dr. Henry is optimistic the spring and summer months will be calm, there is a recognition we will need to be prepared to deal with and adapt to what the virus does next—particularly when we reach the fall. SafeCare BC will continue to provide you with the information you need to stay informed.