Masking Requirements for Influenza Season

Shared on behalf of Adam Vinet, VP Patient Experience, Chief Nursing Executive, Regional VP Regional Cancer Centre

We continue to experience impacts on our Inpatient Clinical Units and Emergency Department due to respiratory and influenza type illnesses. For that reason, masking requirements will increase effective Monday, October 28, 2024.

Please note that as of Monday, October 28, 2024 all Staff, Professional Staff, Learners, Volunteers and Essential Care Partners (ECPs)/Care Partners (CPs) will be required to wear a mask when entering a patient room for all Inpatient Clinical Units and when in the Emergency Department.

Please see the following details on masking requirements:

1A Inpatient Units

  • All Staff, Professional Staff, Learners, Volunteers and ECPs/CPs are required to wear a mask at all times while on units 1A Medicine, and 1A Acute Oncology. This includes when entering a patient room and when within the 1A clinical area.

All other Inpatient Units

  • All Staff, Professional Staff, Learners and Volunteers must wear a mask at all times when entering a patient’s room, when providing direct patient care, including transportation of patients and at any time they are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing.
  • All ECPs/CPs visiting in an inpatient room must wear a mask when entering a patient’s room and whenever they are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing standards within the unit.

Emergency Department

  • All Staff, Professional Staff, Learners and Volunteers must wear a mask at all times when entering a patient’s room, when providing direct patient care, including transportation of patients and at any time they are unable to maintain 6 feet of physical distancing.
  • All Patients and ECPs/CPs accompanying a patient must wear a mask at all times in the department

Public communication and signage will be provided to support the above requirements. Further communication will occur on this topic as required.

Thank-you for your commitment to keeping our patients, staff and Hospital safe. If you have any questions, please ask your manager or reach out to Infection Prevention and Control at 684-6094 for further details on best practices.