Hospitals in Simcoe and Hagersville are dropping requirements for continuous masking as of May 17.
According to a news release, the decision was made due to the “continued decline of COVID-19 incidents locally and regionally.”
Masks will still be required at Norfolk General and West Haldimand hospitals for patients who have respiratory illness symptoms or who are isolated for such illnesses and their visitors will also be required to mask when in a patient care area and hallways.
Outpatients who have COVID symptoms, a respiratory illness or who have had close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID in the previous week must also continue to wear a medical grade face mask.
Any visitors to an outbreak unit “may” be required to wear a mask, according to the news release.
The two hospitals posted identical mask policies noting they are “mask friendly” environments and will keep medical-grade face masks available for patients, visitors, volunteers and healthcare workers who choose to wear them.
“If a patient chooses to wear a face mask, healthcare workers will support the patient’s decision and will wear a medical grade face mask while providing patient care,” says the posting.
Visitors and patients will still have to self-screen before entering the facilities, answering questions about signs and symptoms of COVID and other respiratory viruses.
The two hospitals are just the latest in a long list of Ontario hospitals to relax masking protocols.
According to Wednesday’s update from the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, there currently are no hospitalized patients who have COVID-19 and just five new cases of the virus confirmed last week.
@EXPSGamble