Long-term care visitor restrictions returning to pre-Omicron state next week, B.C. officials say
Visitation restrictions in B.C. long-term care homes are being eased next week, the province's top doctor announced Thursday.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the province plans to return to the visitation rules that were in place before the Omicron wave of the pandemic.
The change will take effect on March 18, Henry said, though she later clarified that some care homes may be ready to welcome visitors sooner than that.
"The goal will be to increase visitation and opportunities for connection between residents and families while continuing to protect those we know are most vulnerable to serious illness," Henry said.
Before B.C. tightened its restrictions on Jan. 1, the province was allowing social visits for long-term care residents. Residents were allowed to see multiple visitors at the same time, and to visit family members without masks.
Visitors were required to be fully vaccinated, however, and had to take a rapid test for COVID-19 before beginning their visit.
Those two requirements - vaccination and rapid testing - will remain in place after March 18, Henry said Thursday.
She also noted that individual long-term care homes may have staff limitations and other challenges that make allowing visits more difficult. She said care home operators should be reaching out to residents' family members over the coming week to communicate their specific needs and availability for visitation.
"What I'm asking for is patience," Henry said.
Some of the considerations long-term care homes may ask visitors to take could include scheduling visits in advance or spacing them out, the provincial health officer said.
Henry announced the changes at a news conference Thursday afternoon, during which she also announced the end dates for B.C.'s indoor mask mandate and its vaccine passport program.
Long-term care and assisted-living facilities have been the site of many of B.C.'s nearly 3,000 COVID-19-related deaths since the pandemic began.
As of Thursday, there were 14 ongoing outbreaks of the coronavirus in health-care facilities in the province, most of them in long-term care.
In response to Thursday's announcement, BC Care Providers Association CEO Terry Lake issued a statement thanking provincial health officials for the updated guidance and asking for patience from would-be visitors as care homes adjust to the changes.
“We know that social connections between residents and their loved ones are necessary to maintaining quality of life, and that the restrictions throughout the pandemic have been especially hard on residents and their beloved companions," Lake said.
He also called on the province to provide more clarity around the use of rapid tests - specifically "where and how often" they will be required for visitors.
“BCCPA throughout the pandemic has sought to ensure that clear, written guidelines for visitors are made available on a timely basis from public health officials," Lake said. "We have requested that the details of today’s announcement are provided in writing as soon as possible."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.