Visitor restrictions back at B.C.'s long-term care homes as COVID-19 cases spike
Visitor restrictions back at B.C.'s long-term care homes as COVID-19 cases spike
The B.C. government is once again imposing visitor restrictions in long-term care homes as the province grapples with unprecedented levels of COVID-19 transmission.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said only essential visitors will be allowed in long-term care facilities as of Jan. 1, citing a recent increase in outbreaks in those settings.
"We need to decrease the numbers of people coming into our long-term care homes so we can best protect the seniors and elders ... and ensure that workers in those settings are able to manage and cope," Henry said.
The restriction will remain in place until Jan. 18 at the earliest, at which point health officials will be re-evaluating a number of measures implemented to combat the rapid surge in COVID-19 cases that began earlier this month.
"This will be a measure that we'll have in place for as short a period of time as possible," Henry said.
Over the last two weeks, since the arrival of the Omicron variant, B.C.'s seven-day average for COVID-19 infections has increased five-fold. That has recently led to a resurgence in health-care facility outbreaks, including at eight long-term care homes.
The latest facilities added to the list are New Vista Care Centre, Chartwell Langley Gardens, Chartwell Carlton Gardens, Chartwell Crescent Gardens and Guildford Seniors Village, all located in the Fraser Health region.
Henry said while most of the fully vaccinated people catching COVID-19 are experiencing mild symptoms, the explosion in cases is still forcing many people off the job and putting more pressure on the province's already strained hospitals and care homes.
"The illness that we're seeing, particularly in health-care workers, is starting to have impacts on our health-care system," she said.
Officials decided to bring back a temporary ban on non-essential visitors in long-term care as it's become apparent people can transmit the latest iteration of the virus "very rapidly, even with very mild symptoms," Henry said.
Meanwhile, the province has shortened the minimum period of self-isolation required for fully vaccinated B.C. residents who catch COVID-19, citing other emerging data that most people are getting better more quickly than earlier in the pandemic.
The government is also ramping up its COVID-19 vaccine booster program, with an aim of getting everyone their third dose within about six months of their second.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Two young ER doctors quit Montreal jobs, blaming Quebec's broken health-care system and Bill 96
Two young emergency room doctors, raised and trained in Montreal, are leaving their jobs after only two years to move back to Toronto – and they say the Quebec health-care model and Bill 96 are to blame.

Tamara Lich breached conditions by appearing with fellow convoy leader: Crown
The Crown is seeking to revoke bail for Tamara Lich, a leader of the 'Freedom Convoy,' after she appeared alongside a fellow organizer in an alleged breach of her conditions.
Police: Parade gunman bought 5 weapons despite threats
The gunman who attacked an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago, killing at least seven people, legally bought two high-powered rifles and three other weapons despite authorities being called to his home twice in 2019 after he threatened suicide and violence, police said Tuesday.
Bank of Canada's rapid rate hikes likely to cause a recession, study finds
The Bank of Canada's strategy of rapidly increasing its key interest rate in an effort to tackle skyrocketing inflation will likely trigger a recession, says a new study released Tuesday from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
Assembly National Chief Archibald brings corruption claims to annual gathering
Thousands of delegates gathered for the annual Assembly of First Nations meeting Tuesday to talk about the Pope's visit, Indigenous rights, housing and other priorities, but those issues were upstaged by claims of corruption and infighting over the leadership of National Chief RoseAnne Archibald.
Canada is the first country to ratify Finland and Sweden's accession to join NATO
Canada became the first country to ratify Finland and Sweden's accession protocols to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday.
Grab a seat: Passport lineups prompt Canada to urgently procure hundreds of chairs
As passport processing delays and long lineups persist at Service Canada offices, the federal government is looking to buy 801 chairs for people standing in line by the end of this week.
Cancelled flights have northern Ont. hospital risking ER closure
With doctor shortages causing emergency rooms around the country to shut down, a northern Ontario hospital is scrambling to stave off the same fate.
More than half of Canada's AstraZeneca vaccine doses expired, will be thrown out
Canada is about to toss more than half of its doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine because it couldn't find any takers for it either at home or abroad.