Revised masking guidelines to be introduced in hospitals around London, Ont.

Heading into the fall respiratory virus season, hospitals and health care centres around the London, Ont., region are revising their masking guidelines and requirements in mitigating the spread of influenza and COVID-19, among others.

As of Wednesday, the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care will be recommending that incoming patients wear a mask in all clinical areas and care settings when meeting with or speaking directly to a health-care worker, including in emergency departments and waiting rooms.

According to a joint statement from the hospitals, “patients with a fever or respiratory symptoms are required to mask in all clinical and non-clinical settings – except if in an inpatient room or bed space and not receiving direct care with a healthcare worker.”

“We’re not going to force patients to wear masks,” said Dr. Kevin Chan, corporate medical executive at LHSC. “But we will highly recommend that they do so.”

However, masking will be required for staff and physicians in all direct patient contact in both inpatient and outpatient clinical settings.

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South of the city, the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital also announced that they would be reinstating masking in patient-care areas for staff, physicians and volunteers as of Wednesday.

Patients and visitors will be required to wear a mask in waiting rooms when interacting with health care providers. The hospital said that masks are strongly recommended in public spaces but will not be required.

Masks will continue to be available at all main entrances to the hospitals and in care settings.

“Changes to our masking guidelines are aligned with recommendations through Public Health Ontario, and our regional hospital partners,” Chan told Global News. “What that incorporates is really a risk assessment around both COVID-19 and other respiratory viral risks, and really taking that to gauge when we’re coming up with our own recommendations.

“This helps to ensure staff, physicians, volunteers, patients, visitors and our community remain protected while respiratory viruses circulate this fall and winter,” he added.

Dr. Michael Silverman, chair/chief of infectious diseases in London and medical director of infection prevention and control and infectious diseases care program at St. Joseph’s said that “protecting our patients, residents, staff and community is paramount.”

“Updated masking guidelines, in combination with other protective measures like staying up to date on vaccinations, is part of our responsive strategy this respiratory season,” he said.

The revision of masking guidelines comes as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the province.

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Going back to Chan, he said that there is no immediate indication that full masking requirements will return to hospitals in the near future, saying that they’re “going to look towards the data first to really look at the impacts.”

“At this time, our experts don’t think we need to make any adjustments. But obviously, we’re keeping a very close eye and looking at both the numbers and the outbreaks inside hospitals,” he said.

“We’ll change our decision either to increase masking or decrease masking based on those clinical requirements.”

He added that “when it comes to COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses, hospitals are committed to taking care of both patients and their staff.”

“We’re going to be tracking this very carefully and really do what’s in the best interests of patients as a whole,” Chan said.