Starting Monday, the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) will move forward with modified masking requirements for patients, staff, and volunteers.
Masks will no longer be mandatory in non-clinical areas, such as main lobbies, waiting areas, cafeterias, and elevators. However, in high-risk areas like Oncology, Dialysis, and the Emergency Department, visitors and patients must continue to mask up.
In clinical areas, physicians and other workers must continue to wear face masks when they are within two metres of any patient.
There will be exceptions to this rule in certain situations. For example, if there is a physical barrier present between the patient and provider, masks are not considered necessary. A release from the CKHA also said consistent masking could be required in cases where patient are "under additional precautions," or there is an active outbreak in the unit.
CKHA officials continue to recommend that any visitors in their facilities stay masked up when they are within two metres of patients.
"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 CKHA President and CEO Lori Marshall. "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."
Any patients, visitors, or staff who wish to continue wearing masks will be fully supported by the health alliance. Medical grade masks will remain available at the entrances of the Chatham and Wallaceburg locations.
Although CKHA says COVID-19 transmission rates are "at an all-time low," the health alliance still advises people experiencing symptoms of infection to stay home, wear a medical grade face mask, and practice proper hand hygiene.
