Section 1: Introduction

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