COVID-19

Operating a COVID PCR testing device and administering a COVID-19 vaccine Q&A

As registrants navigate practice during step 3 of the province’s reopening, please be reminded to look for updated information at the following websites: BC Government’s Restart Plan, the BCCDC health professionals and WorkSafeBC. Any new information that affects healthcare delivery in BC will be published by the CDBC in our Monthly Updates and on the CDBC COVID-19 page.  

Order of the Provincial Health Officer: Hospital and Community (Health Care and Other Services) COVID-19 Vaccination Status Information and Preventative Measures

The March 7, 2022 Order of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) — the Health Professionals COVID-19 Vaccination Status Information and Preventive Measures Order — requires the College of Dietitians of BC (CDBC) to record the COVID-19 vaccination status of all of its registrants by March 31, 2022. On request by the CDBC, registrants must provide proof of vaccination or proof of an exemption if they have it.

This Order does not impose a COVID-19 vaccination requirement. Please note that separate public health orders remain in place requiring COVID-19 vaccination for health professionals working in residential care, acute care and community care settings. 

Next steps

The College has provided registrant information to the Ministry of Health (MOH) for matching against the Provincial Immunization Registry. The MOH is in the process of sharing this data matching with the College. Given that there is a high percentage of vaccination in the BC adult population, we anticipate that most vaccinated registrants will be verified in the Provincial Immunization Registry.

If a registrant’s vaccination status is NOT confirmed via the data exchange process, we will contact the registrant by email with details of the information required and how to submit it.

In addition to renewal, we ask all registrants to check all their email notification frequently this month to determine if we require further information from them. 

For more information about this Order and its requirements for registrants and the CDBC, please see our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Provincial Health Office has posted a publication written to 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.

PHO – COVID-19 Letter to BC Health Regulators – April 1, 2022

PHO updates COVID-19 orders affecting regulated health professionals

In an Information Bulletin issued September 15, 2022, the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) advised that she has decided to continue not requiring health care professionals in private practice to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This decision was made “given the high rates of vaccination in these professions, and the current state of the pandemic.”

For all workers in the public health-care system – including those working in residential care, acute care and community care settings – PHO orders regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements remain in place. Updates have been made to these PHO orders to ensure alignment and consistency. Please refer to:

• Hospital and Community (Health Care and Other Services) COVID-19 Vaccination Status Information and Preventive Measures – September 12, 2022 (PDF)
• Residential Care COVID-19 Preventive Measures – September 12, 2022 (PDF)

Health profession regulatory colleges continue to be legally required to record the COVID-19 vaccination status of their registrants under the Health Professionals COVID-19 Vaccination Status Information – June 10, 2022 (PDF) order. CDBC will contact new registrants to collect their vaccination status. Please wait until you are contacted before submitting this information.  

PHO guidance for mask use and infection prevention and control for health professionals and their patients/clients remains unchanged. Registrants should review Mask Use and Infection Prevention & Control Guidance for Health Professionals – April 1, 2022 – PDF 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.