Another Toronto hospital relaxes mask mandate as COVID-19 levels remain 'moderate'
Another major Toronto hospital has relaxed its masking mandate as Ontario continues to see a "moderate level of COVID-19 transmission risk."
North York General Hospital (NYGH) announced on Monday that it had updated its masking policy in response to guidance from Public Health Ontario.
“Everyone must continue to wear masks provided by NYGH in all patient-care areas at our sites. This includes inpatient units, our emergency department, ambulatory/day clinics, medical imaging, and all waiting and registration areas,” NYGH says on its website.
“Masks are highly recommended but not mandatory in all non-patient care areas like the cafeteria or Tim Horton’s, particularly when a distance of 2 metres or 6 feet cannot be kept from others.”
NYGH’s updated policy comes on the heels of other Toronto hospitals making similar changes.
As of last month, University Health Network, Unity Health, Hospital for Sick Children and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre are letting health-care providers drop their masks in staff-only areas while keeping mandates in place where patients are present.
Unity Health Network announced in April that masks are no longer required in non-clinical areas where only staff congregate. Masks are still mandatory in patient-facing and public areas.
SickKids dropped its mask mandate in non-clinical and non-patient facing areas, such as administrative offices and meeting spaces, on April 24.
The hospital said the change comes amid a “moderate level of COVID-19 transmission risk and a non-high risk period for respiratory virus transmission.”
Elsewhere in Ontario, some health networks are loosening their masking rules even further.
Last month, Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton announced that they will no longer require patients, families and visitors to wear “masks within hospital sites.”
Several other hospitals in southwestern Ontario also fully removed their mask mandates for patients last month.
Physicians only need to cover their mouth and nose if they are within two metres of a patient without a shielded physical barrier. Also, if there is a COVID-19 outbreak in the hospital unit, a mask is required.
Those new rules apply at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Bluewater Health, Windsor Regional Hospital, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and Erie Shores HealthCare.
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Hannah Alberga.
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