COVID-19 Information for Social Services
Supporting the health and welfare of vulnerable populations during the pandemic requires balancing measures that need to be taken to prevent transmission of COVID-19 against the risks of withdrawing your essential services such as housing/shelter, food security, mental health supports, personal care, overdose prevention, harm reduction.
Information specific to Federation member organizations can be found on the member’s page of our website (click Members or Login in the top right corner of this page). Additional information and resources have been collected below and will be updated as things progress.
Recent Updates: March 2021–Now
For recent updates from the government and the provincial health office, please visit The Federation’s updated COVID-19 info page. For archived updates and links, contact The Federation’s Communications Coordinator.
Child and Family Services Subsector Recovery Guide
The Child and Family Services Subsector Recovery Guide is a tool to support the development of agency-specific operational plans to ensure that all service providers approach COVID-19 recovery planning safely, consistently, transparently, and with the support of government partners. As the subsector is diverse, and populations and situations within it are unique, this guide does not provide specific operational examples or one-size-fits-all processes—rather it aims to be a reference tool.
MCFD Practice Bulletins and Interim Guidelines
The Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) has developed the Interim Practice Guidelines and Practice Bulletins in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note: Some hyperlinks inside the documents below may not be publicly accessible.
BCCDC COVID-19 Survey
Public health and government leaders have made significant decisions impacting every aspect of our lives in recent weeks. The BC Centre for Disease Control wants to hear from you as the province plans to ease restrictions while keeping citizens safe—especially those most vulnerable. You can complete the BCCDC COVID-19 Survey here. The survey will be open until May 31st.
Resources & Info for Social Services
- Minister Katrine Conroy’s “thank you” to community-based professionals [MP3, 5.76MB] Password: Telus123
- Minister Katrine Conroy’s “thank you” to caregivers [MP3, 5.23 MB)] Password: Telus123
- Recording of the webinar with MCFD Deputy Minister Allison Bond on COVID-19
- Inclusion BC Press Release urging calling for a disability lens on emergency management protocols
- WorkSafeBC: COVID-19 and the workplace
- BCCDC Info for Employers & Businesses
- CSSEA’s COVID-19 Update Webpage
- CMHA resources on managing stress and anxiety and how to talk to children about public health emergencies
- CBC Local COVID-19 Updates Page—BC advisories, updates, and cancellations
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice For Canadian Employers from the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of British Columbia & Yukon
HR Resources
- Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark Global HR Lawyers COVID-19 Employer Support Page
- PDF slides deck from March 19th webinar: “COVID-19 and the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know Now” hosted by Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP.
Government Websites
- BC Government Child Care Response to COVID-19 Website (updated regularly)
- Government of Canada COVID-19 Website
- BC Centre for Disease Control—COVID 19 Website and Common Questions
- BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool
Social Distancing Information
- CBC Podcast on the science behind the public health directions (CBC)
- Visualizing “social distancing” and what “flattening the curve” means (Washington Post)
- The Dos and Don’ts of ‘Social Distancing’ (Atlantic)
- Convincing Boomer Parents to Take the Coronavirus Seriously (New Yorker)
- How to talk with your older parents about the COVID-19 pandemic—and have them actually listen (CNBC)
COVID-19 Data and Dashboards
- ViriHealth: Canada Coronavirus COVID-19 Tracker
- ESRI Canada Outbreak Tracker and Resources Hub
- Johns Hopkins University Global COVID-19 Dashboard
Symptoms and Protection
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Common symptoms include fever, cough, tiredness. But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Stay home. Isolate yourself and call your local public health authority (811 in BC). Do not visit an emergency room or urgent care centre to get tested.
What can I do to protect myself?
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.
Keep your distance from people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Unless you’re already infected, masks won’t help you.
Be aware of evolving travel advisories to different regions.