Masks now required in waiting areas and patient rooms at Guelph General Hospital

Officials at Guelph General Hospital say they've made the "difficult but necessary decision" to ask people to wear masks in certain parts of the building starting on Monday.

It comes as COVID-19 cases rise in the community and on the advice of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, hospital vice president of people and support services Karen Suk-Patrick said in a statement on Monday.

Masks are required in clinical areas of the hospital. Those include:

• Patient rooms.
• Waiting rooms.
• Nursing stations.

Masks are not required in areas such as:

• Hallways.
• Meeting rooms.
• The Bistro.
• Shared offices.

Masks will be available at entrances to the hospital and at nursing stations.

"We realize this news will affect each of us differently, please be kind to yourself and each other as we navigate this next phase of pandemic," Suk-Patrick said.

In Waterloo region, Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener and Cambridge Memorial Hospital have not made changes to masking policies.

"Masks continue to be readily available for all members of the community and health care team. We support those who wish to wear them and encourage patients to ask their care team to mask up if they prefer," the two Kitchener hospitals said in a joint statement to CBC News on Friday.

The statement said hospital officials continue to monitor the need for mandatory masking and "we will communicate any changes broadly if and when changes are made."