Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced changes on Thursday that will allow an increase in visitors to long-term care and assisted-living residents, and some limited indoor religious services, over the coming weeks.
The new rules for seniors home visitors will come into effect on April 1, to allow facilities time to adapt, Henry said.
"I'm very, very pleased that we can make some changes that will improve people's quality of life," Henry said. "There has been no group more adversely effected by this pandemic than our seniors."
As of April 1, long-term care and assisted-living residents will no longer be required to have a single, designated social visitor – allowing increased visits from friends and family.
Residents will be allowed to have visits from up to two adults and one child at a time. Visitors will be allowed to visit residents in their rooms, without a staff member present to supervise.
Visitors will also be allowed to physically touch residents again, as long as infection control measures like masks and hand hygiene are in place, she said.
Distancing measures between residents will be relaxed as well, allowing more activities like communal dining to resume, she added. New residents moving into a facility will no longer be required to self isolate for 14 days, and residents will be supported to go on outings outside the facility.
"I think this is an incredibly-important step, that many families and individuals have been waiting for for a long time," Henry said. "It is likely that we will have more outbreaks in care homes if we allow more people in... But we can manage that risk, with the majority of residents and staff immunized."
Social visits will continue to be suspended during COVID-19 outbreaks, and visitors will still need to book in advance, wear masks, wash hands frequently and comply with other safety rules.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines to protect people in long-term care and assisted-living has been proven. In January, there were 49 COVID-19 outbreaks in seniors homes, as of Thursday there were only three.
"I am... moved at the idea that people will be able to visit again who weren't able to visit. And touch each other again," he said.
SOME INDOOR RELIGIOUS SERVICES TO BE ALLOWED
Limited numbers of indoor religious services will be allowed between March 28 and May 13, to allow the celebration of important holidays like Easter, Ramadan, Vaisakhi and Passover, Henry said.
On Wednesday, Henry announced that outdoor religious services could resume (full details available here).
The full details of the order allowing indoor services on up to four days have been posted online, and can be found here.
"It is a trial period, if you will. If conditions require us to revisit this, we will," Henry said. "(But) I have respect... and trust in our faith communities."
Indoor gatherings will be limited to a maximum of 50 people, or 10 per cent of building capacity, whichever is lower, she said.
Other safety measures, similar to those in place before indoor faith services were suspended, will be required, she said.
Indoor gatherings in homes with people outside your immediate household will continue to be against the rules, she said.
"This is not the year to have Passover suppers, it is not the year to have Ramadan gatherings with your family," she said.
Henry's announcement came on the same day Premier John Horgan announced stiffer penalties for people attending social gatherings, against public health orders (see story).
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