The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance is altering its masking policy at its hospitals.
Based upon the most recent Public Health of Ontario guidance, the changes will impact patients, visitors, staff, physicians and volunteers who enter a CKHA facility effective April 17.
At the beginning of the pandemic, mandatory masking within all areas of the hospital was implemented to slow transmission of the COVID-19 virus. With virus transmission levels at an all-time low and to better align with community protocols, changes to CKHA’s masking policy will now require staff and physicians to wear masks only when within two metres of any patient in a clinical area unless there is a physical barrier present. Exceptions to this will apply when patients are under additional precautions and/or a unit is in an active outbreak. Officials still recommend visitors mask when within two metres of patients.
Furthermore, visitors, patients, staff, physicians and volunteers will not be required to wear a mask in non-clinical areas, such as CKHA’s main lobbies, waiting areas, cafeteria and elevators.
Masking in waiting rooms and lounges in high-risk areas such as oncology, dialysis and the emergency department remains a requirement for visitors and patients.
Masks will continue to be required for visitors within two metres of patients in the aforementioned high-risk areas.
“The changes to our masking policy recognize that going forward we will live with COVID-19 for years to come. Following the latest provincial Public Health guidance, our updated masking guidelines will give some relief to our staff, physicians, volunteers, patients and visitors,” said Lori Marshall, President and CEO of the CKHA, in a media release. “We continue to focus on mitigating risk for our most vulnerable patients and will continue to monitor our outbreak frequency, hospitalizations, intensive care admissions and community transmission of the virus.”
Medical grade masks will continue to be available at public entrances of both the Chatham and Wallaceburg sites.
