Public Health Ontario has shared an important update to the Routine Practices and Additional Precautions in All Health Care Settings, 3rd Edition resource.
The update is limited to Appendix N: Clinical Syndromes/Conditions with Required Level of Precautions, which has been revised by the Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee on Infection Prevention and Control (PIDAC-IPC) to reflect current evidence and best practices.
The updated content includes:
- The updated appendix includes clinical syndromes and conditions that have newly emerged or become more significant in Ontario since the last update in 2012. This includes diseases of public health significance such as avian influenza, Candida auris, measles, Mpox, novel respiratory viruses, and viral haemorrhagic fevers. These changes are highlighted in purple in the full document. Please note that the examples listed represent only a sample of the conditions that have been added.
- Some updated guidance to the type of precautions recommended, single room requirements, the duration of precautions and personal protective equipment (PPE). These updates ensure alignment with current infection prevention and control standards to better protect health care workers and patients.
Additionally, Appendix N is separated from the main document that can be used as a standalone, easy-to-reference resource.
These resources serve as a practical, point-of-care tool to help enhance IPAC knowledge and practices across Ontario and better protect both patients and health care workers in all settings.
This updated document replaces the previous version and should be used going forward to ensure consistency with current guidance.
For more information, visit Public Health’s dedicated Routine Practices and Additional Precautions or Best Practices in IPAC webpage. To learn more about the work of the Provincial Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee on Infection Prevention and Control, visit the PIDAC-IPC webpage.
For questions, please contact ipac@oahpp.ca.