With the respiratory illness season upon us, Bluewater Health continues to monitor the local situation but no changes have been made to its masking policy and no other health measures have been introduced at this time.
Hospitals across the province have been updating their mask policies as respiratory illnesses begin to pick up again.
"We reassess the situation all the time. We haven't made any decisions yet," said Bluewater Health Chief of Staff Dr. Michel Haddad. "We continue to monitor based on the number of local respiratory illnesses and admissions to the hospital."
Haddad said the hospital will continue to consider the advice of Public Health Ontario and work collaboratively with area hospitals, such as Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and Windsor Regional Hospital.
"Public Health Ontario usually is a minimum requirement and then sometimes we have to add a bit more, depending on our local situation," Haddad said.
It is anticipated that Bluewater Health will see an increase in patients with respiratory illnesses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19.
"We want to be more proactive and preventative so if we feel that the local numbers warrant an increased layer of protection, we'll advise our staff and community accordingly," Haddad said.
Bluewater Health lifted its social distancing policy and updated its masking mandate in April. Although masking became optional for visitors in outpatient and public spaces, it remained mandatory in high-risk areas, such as emergency departments or in units under a COVID-19 outbreak.
Haddad said staff are mandated to wear a mask when dealing with patients who potentially have a respiratory illness.
He also said masking is only one layer of protection as others include avoiding crowded places, staying home if ill, regular hand washing, and receiving vaccinations when appropriate.
