PICNet Newsletter – May 2026
Updated Point-of-Care Risk Assessment (PCRA) and Viral Respiratory Illness (VRI) Resources
Various infection prevention and control (IPC) resources have been updated based on review and input from health authority IPC programs, to align with the Policy Communiqué: Infection Prevention and Control Measures for Preventing Viral Respiratory Illness. The following are available on the PICNet website.
- Point-of-Care Risk Assessment Tool
- Provincial Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Viral Respiratory Illness in Acute Care and Ambulatory Health Care Settings
- Provincial Outbreak Guidance for Viral Respiratory Illness in Long-Term Care Settings
- Provincial Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Viral Respiratory Illness in Home and Community Health Care Settings
- Provincial Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Viral Respiratory Illness for Primary Care Practitioners and Community-Based Health Care Providers
- Provincial IPC Guidelines for Preventing Viral Respiratory Illness in Community Immunization Clinics
Celebrating our Colleagues on Earth Day
In recognition of Earth Day on April 22, the Provincial IPAC Planetary Health Interest Group highlighted meaningful success stories that demonstrate how planetary health principles are being put into action across British Columbia’s health system.
Co‑chairs Drs. Titus Wong and Victor Leung, and health care colleagues from across the province who share a commitment to environmental protection and sustainable health care practice, celebrate and thank the individuals and teams whose leadership and collaboration are helping to build a healthier future for both people and the planet.
Group members are currently leading initiatives in infection prevention, procurement, and clinical practice. Collectively, these projects demonstrate that protecting planetary health—and in turn improving human health—can be achieved through practical, scalable approaches embedded within everyday health care work.
PICNet provides administrative and knowledge‑sharing support, helping to reduce duplication of efforts and foster collaboration across organizations.
For more information or to get involved, please contact PICNet to learn more about the group and the important work underway across the province.
Updated Provincial CPO & C.auris Surveillance Protocol
A revised version of the PICNet Surveillance Protocol for Carbapenemase‑Producing Organisms (CPO) and Candida (Candidozyma) auris (C. auris) is now available.
The updated protocol introduces standardized, provincial CPO exposure status classifications to support consistent documentation and interpretation of cases across health authorities. This addition will improve provincial understanding of CPO epidemiology, including distinctions between health care–associated and community‑associated acquisition. Additional updates include clarified case definitions, revised surveillance forms, and alignment with current laboratory and surveillance practices.
We encourage health authority IPC programs to implement this updated protocol to support consistent provincial CPO and C. auris surveillance.