Congregate living settings refer to a range of facilities where people (most or all of whom are not related) live or stay overnight and use shared spaces (e.g., common sleeping areas, bathrooms, kitchens) including:
- Long-term care
- Shelters
- Group homes
- Correctional facilities
- Children or youth residential settings
- Other community living centers
During the fall and winter months, a number of respiratory viruses are known to commonly circulate in Ontario including influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and rhinovirus. The public health practices to control the spread of respiratory illness (as practiced during the COVID-19 pandemic – e.g., physical distancing, masking, vaccination), play an important role in limiting the spread of respiratory viruses.
On this page you can find a variety of resources to help staff and administrators address respiratory illness prevention and control in these settings.
NOTE: The respiratory illness season is a complex season involving many circulating viruses at the same time. While many resources have been created and labelled as “COVID-19” resources, the fundamentals and infection prevention and control best practices described in the resources are applicable to our current viral scenario.
Resources
- Resources for Congregate Living Settings – Public Health Ontario
- COVID-19 Guidance: Congregate Living for Vulnerable Populations
- COVID-19 Guidance: HVAC and Ventilation Systems
- Best Practices for Environmental Cleaning
- Managing Outbreaks in Congregate Living Situations
- Cohorting in Outbreaks in Congregate Living Settings
- Prevention and Management of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes
If you have questions or concerns regarding infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices with congregate living settings or need to report and outbreak, please contact LPH’s IPAC team through this form or call us at 519-383-8331.