The Provincial Health Officer (PHO) has
posted a letter sent to the registrars of BC's health profession regulatory colleges, providing the current guidance for mask use and infection prevention and control for health professionals and their patients/clients.
Nurses and midwives should review the letter for details and refer to resources from sources such as the
BC Centre for Disease Control and
WorkSafeBC to determine how to apply these recommendations to their own practice setting. We have also excerpted the relevant section for health care providers below:
"... In addition to following masking requirements established by employers and operators as part of their workplace communicable disease plans, I recommend the continued use of medical masks by practitioners and patients/clients in medical offices, private practices and other settings when there is close, in-person patient/client contact. As well, I recommend a continued focus by health care professionals on diligent hand washing, immunization, respecting personal space, regular cleaning and disinfection, ensuring appropriate ventilation, and staying home when sick.
Registrants know their practice context best and should use that knowledge, along with other resources from sources such as the BC Centre for Disease Control and WorkSafeBC, to implement masking recommendations that support our collective goal to keep British Columbians safe…"
Resources
Visit BCCNM's Covid resource section for resources, FAQs, and more.