Hospitals in London are joining a number of others throughout southwestern Ontario in easing masking requirements that came into force during the pandemic.
Starting Monday, the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), St. Joseph’s Health Care London, and partner hospitals throughout the region will no longer require patients and visitors to wear a face covering in common areas. This includes hallways, cafeterias, elevators, lobbies, and foyers.
Staff and physicians at St. Joseph’s will still have to mask up in all clinical areas, while those at the LHSC will only have to cover their nose and mouth when providing direct patient care.
“It’s clear the COVID-19 pandemic has entered a new phase, and it’s time for a new approach to masking for patients, staff, physicians and visitors,” said Dr. Michael Payne, medical director of infection prevention and control at the LHSC. “The vast majority of Ontarians have either been vaccinated or exposed to the virus in some way which means the risks are lower right now and our masking guidelines can be relaxed.”
The LHSC is recommending patients and visitors still wear a mask in care settings when speaking directly with doctors and staff, particularly in the emergency department, the London Regional Cancer Program, clinical waiting rooms, and ambulatory clinics. St. Joseph’s will continue to ask that masks be worn in clinical areas and in direct contact with health care workers, other patients and in waiting rooms.
Mandatory masking will remain for patients with a fever or respiratory symptoms, unless in an inpatient room or bed space.
The new masking policies align with guidelines set out by Public Health Ontario, hospital officials said. They come less than a week after Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Bluewater Health, Windsor Regional Hospital, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Erie Shores HealthCare, and hospitals in Kitchener and Guelph decided to relax masking rules.
“This change is part of our ongoing efforts to ensure resident/patient and staff safety while recognizing changes in the nature of the pandemic and direction from public health experts,” said Dr. Michael Silverman, St. Joseph’s chief of infectious diseases and medical director of infection safety.
The hospitals will continue to provide face coverings for people who still opt to wear them in all settings.
