Section 1: Introduction

We are currently in the process of moving Viral Respiratory Illness Toolkit: Long Term Care Facility Guide to our VCH external site - stay tuned as content is built out.

This page contains resources for managing Viral Respiratory Illness (VRI) in your facility. Please review the resources below for the upcoming respiratory illness season. Pre-season planning will assist with the control of respiratory outbreaks in your facility.

• Memo to Managers and Directors of Care at Long Term Care and Assisted Living Facilities 

Section 2: Protocols 

• VRI Prevention and Control Program for LTCF 

Section 3: Getting Ready 

• Pre-season Planning for the Management of VRI 

Section 4: Outbreak Management 

• VRI Case and Cluster Containment Toolkit 
• Resident and Staff Line List 

Section 5: Testing

• Viral Respiratory Illness Specimen Collection
• Testing for Symptomatic Residents for COVID-PCR Test Standard Operating Procedure
• BCPHMRL Order Form. Note: Under Respiratory Pathogens, tick both “Influenza A, Influenza B, RSV” and “COVID-19”

Section 6: Antivirals

Influenza

• Physician Pre-printed Orders for Influenza, Pneumococcal Vaccine and Tamiflu (sample)
• Staff Influenza Prophylaxis Letter

COVID-19                                                                                                                                       

• BCCDC COVID-19 Care and Treatments
• BCCDC COVID-19 Treatment Assessment Guide for Clinicians
• Health Canada COVID-19 Treatments

Section 7: Outbreak and Immunization Report Forms

• Influenza-Like-Illness Facility Outbreak Report Form
• Report of Influenza Immunization in Long Term Care Facilities (due December 31, 2022) 

Section 8: Immunizations 

• VCH Quick Reference for Publicly Funded Seasonal Influenza Vaccines 
• VCH Influenza Campaign 2022-2023 For Public Health and Mass Clinic Immunizers: Frequently Asked Questions from the Public
• Residents Immunization Log
• Vaccine Emergency Plans & Response Documents
• Handling Vaccines - What to Do In a Power Failure
• BC Health Files on HealthLinkBC Website
  • Influenza Vaccine 
    • HealthLinkBC Inactivated Influenza (Flu) Vaccine
    • HealthLinkBC Live attenuated Influenza (Flu) Vaccine 
    • HealthLinkBC Influenza (Flu) immunization: Myths and facts
    • Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine Question and Answer Document Updated – August 2021
  • COVID-19 Vaccine 
    • Information on COVID-19 vaccines
    • HealthLinkBC COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine
    • HealthLinkBC COVID-19 Viral Vector Vaccines
• How to Report an Adverse Avent Following Immunizations (AEFI):
  • Download the Adverse Event Following Immunization case report form (for public health) OR 
  • Report of Adverse Event Following Immunization (for non-public health professionals reporting AEFI)
  • Please complete the form and submit it to your local health unit by fax or email. Click on map of where to report adverse event following immunization 

Section 9: Other Long-Term Care Resources

• VCH
  • VCH COVID-19 Information for Long-Term Care and Assisted Living 
  • VCH IPAC Long Term Care Resource Manual
  • VCH General COVID-19 Information 
• Townhall Presentation
  • Public Health VRI Outbreak Prevention Control Presention for LTCF 2022-23 
• Provincial Resources 
  • BCCDC COVID-19 Outbreak Management Protocol for LTC and Seniors’ Assisted Living Settings
  • BCCDC COVID-19 infection Prevention and Control: Guidance for LTC and Seniors' Assisted Living Settings 
  • LTC Facilities & Assisted Living Information: Visitation Guidance, Infection Prevention and Control Measures, and Outbreak Management

Section 10: Contact Information 

• If you have questions, please contact VCH Communicable Disease Control team at 604-675-3900 Mondays to Fridays, from 8:30am to 5:00pm (excluding stat holidays) or by emailing MHOandCDNurseOnCall@vch.ca