COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus)

Long-term Care and Retirement Home Facilities

What is the current guidance for Long Term Care homes with respect to COVID-19?

The Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19 guidance document for long-term care homes in Ontario

IPAC guidance- The province is requiring all staff caring for a resident with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 to wear a fit-tested, seal-checked N95 respirator. See the IPAC Recommendation for Use of Personal Protective Equipment for Care of Individuals with Suspect or Confirmed COVID‑19 for more information. 

What are the current COVID-19 Immunization Guidelines for long-term care facilities?

People are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines when they have followed the
recommendations. The recommendations will be different depending on the person’s age, health status, and which vaccines they have received.
Staying up to date with COVID-19 Vaccines: recommended Doses  
 
The Ontario Health Minister’s Directive: Long-term care home COVID-19 immunization policy sets out requirements related to vaccination against COVID-19 for people working (including as staff and support workers), undertaking a student placement or volunteering in long-term care homes.
 
For local COVID-19 vaccine information and updates visit www.GetTheVaccine.ca.

VISITING CARE FACILITIES: What are the current directives?

Learn about guidance for visiting Long-Term Care facilities
COVID-19 guidance document for long-term care homes in Ontario

Visitors are required to follow public health measures including all infection prevention and control measures, as well as any other specific home policies during their visit.

Call the home for more information to:
• make sure the home is free of outbreaks
• get information on the home’s visitor policy and any other restrictions

Before visiting any resident for the first time, training should be provided to caregivers by the home on how to safely provide direct care.  After visiting a resident for the first time and at least once every month after, the home should ask caregivers to verbally attest that they have re-read the home’s visitor policy.

The home’s visitor guidance should include the following Public Health Ontario training resources:
Putting on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Guidance Document
Putting on Putting on One-Piece Facial Protection -Video
Taking off One-Piece Facial Protection – Video
How to Hand Wash – Video

Where can I find signage for my care facility?

Welcome to our Home Long-Term Care Sign
Limited Visits for Long-Term Care Sign
• Symptom screening for visitors (PDF) and residents (PDF)
Universal mask use in health care (PDF)
How to handwash (PDF) and how to handrub (PDF)
Additional precautions

What are the current testing guidelines? 

Up to date testing requirements and frequency for homes are listed in the Minister’s Directive COVID-19: Long-term care home surveillance testing and access to homes.