COVID-19 information for Long-term Care and Retirement Homes settings

Last revised on October 31, 2022

The long-term care home (LTCH) and retirement home (RH) sectors are critical stakeholders in the response to COVID-19. Residents of these institutions are particularly vulnerable to severe illness and death from COVID-19. Efforts to keep COVID-19 out of these institutions, early detection of COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 vaccination in institutions are vital to COVID-19 prevention and control. 

On this page:

1. Chief Medical Officer of Health Directives
2. Ontario Ministry of Health & Public Health Ontario – Guidance and Resources 
3. Memorandums
4. Vaccination
5. Testing
6. Personal Protective Equipment
7. COVID-19 Signage

1. Chief Medical Officer of Health Directives

• Revocation of CMOH Directives #1, #2.1, #3, #4, and #5

2. Ontario Ministry of Health and Public Health Ontario Guidance Documents and Resources

• COVID-19: Visiting Long Term Care Homes
• Minister’s Directive: Long-term care home COVID-19 immunization policy
• Retirement Homes Policy to Implement Directive #3 
• COVID-19: Long-term care home surveillance testing and access to homes
• Ministry of Health COVID-19 Screening Tool for Long-Term Care Homes and Retirement Homes
• Chapter 1: Storage and Handling of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 Vaccines
• Chapter 2: Storage and Handling of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines

3. Memorandums

• Memorandum to Long Term Care Homes Sector (March 9, 2020): COVID-19 Updates (PDF)
• Ministry of Health Memorandum to Long-Term Care Homes, Retirement Homes, Supportive Housing, Hospices and other congregate care settings: COVID-19 - Visitors (March 13, 2020) (PDF - 165 KB)

4. Vaccination

As part of the current efforts to reach increased coverage targets in the province to protect individuals and the population, it is important to take every opportunity to vaccinate. All LTCH and RHs who have the clinical capacity to immunize are eligible to order COVID-19 vaccine for administration to eligible staff and residents within their facility.  

Vaccine Ordering Process

LTCH and RH operators can order vaccine and vaccination supplies by completing the COVID-19 Vaccine Order Form. 

OPH will arrange delivery of vaccine on the date indicated on the COVID-19 Vaccine Order Form submitted. Deliveries can only be scheduled Monday through Friday between 8 am to 5 pm.  

Note: Requests for vaccine must be submitted a minimum of two business days prior to the planned vaccine administration date and are based on vaccine availability.

LTCH and RH that require immunization support 

OPH encourages all homes to explore leveraging partnerships used for the flu vaccine, to see if they have capacity to support with COVID-19 vaccines as well.

For LTCH and RH homes with limited capacity, OPH will continue to offer on-site training for staff and work with the home to collaboratively run a clinic. The training provided will help increase capacity for the home to immunize residents who may require their initial or subsequent booster doses in the future.

To request OPH support for a clinic (including staff training):

1. Ensure you have completed the COVID-19 Vaccine Consent Form for each resident who has a POA.
2. Once above forms are complete, then submit your facility information via the Long Term Care and Retirement Home COVID-19 OPH Clinic and Training Request Form.

COVax_ON

COVax_ON is Ontario’s provincial vaccination database for COVID-19 vaccines. All doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered must be documented in the COVax_ON system. Please ensure that your facility has active access to COVax_ON prior to the day of your vaccination event.

COVID-19 Immunization Information for Immunizers 

Below are links to COVID-19 vaccine-relevant resources for immunizers. These include guidance for health care providers related to administration, special recommendations as well as anaphylaxis and adverse event management. Please visit the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Website for additional information. 

Pfizer-BioNTech

• Pfizer-BioNTech’s Quick Guide to Administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
• Ministry of Health Administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine factsheet

Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine 

• Moderna’s Quick Guide to Administration of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
• Ministry of Health Administration of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine factsheet
• Advisory: Importation of COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna with up to 15 Doses per Vial and English-only Vial and Carton Labels (US-Labelled Supply)

Mixed COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Schedules

• Ministry of Health - Q&A for Health Care Providers 

Printed confirmation of vaccination

Do you have staff or residents that require a printed confirmation of their vaccination status?  Individuals can review and print a confirmation that they have received their vaccine through the Ontario COVID-19 Vaccination portal.

Adverse Events

• Management of Anaphylaxis Following Immunization in the Community
• Anaphylaxis and other Acute Reactions following Vaccination: Canadian Immunization Guide

Additional Resources 

5.Testing

• COVID-19 Provincial Testing Guidance Update
• Need to be tested? - Learn more about testing.
• Facility specimen collection request form

6. Personal Protective Equipment

• Putting on Full Personal Protective Equipment - Public Health Ontario Video 
• Guidance for mask use in long-term care homes and retirement home

7. COVID-19 Signage

• OPH Outbreak signage - We are experiencing an outbreak [PDF 138 kb]
• Signage for LTCH - Attention Patients! English (PDF)
• Signage for LTCH - Attention Visitors! English (PDF)
• Signage for LTCH - Stop! English (PDF)
• Signage for RH - the following signages are included:
• We are experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 (page 1)
• We are currently free from COVID-19 (page 2)
• We are currently free from COVID-19 (pages 4-5)
• Welcoming visitors to your home during COVID-19 (page 3)

OPH has sent several RAVE Alerts to long-term care homes and retirement homes which can be found on the Public Health Alerts, Epidemiology and Resources on COVID-19 page.  

To report an outbreak for any disease during regular business hours, or for more information, call 613-580-2424 ext. 26325, or in the evening, on weekends or holidays, call 3-1-1 and ask to speak with the Public Health Inspector on-call.