Mask mandates return to southwestern Ontario's largest hospitals
The rules come into effect on Thursday at LHSC and St. Joe's
Mask mandates are making a comeback at London's hospitals for clinical staff and some patients as the healthcare providers prepare for virus season.
The London Health Science Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph's Health Care London will require all patients with a fever or respiratory symptoms to wear a mask, unless they're in an inpatient bed.
Doctors, nurses and other staff are also mandated to wear a mask when treating people in inpatient and outpatient clinics, including in the emergency room.
And while the mandate is limited to those people, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask to increase protection, hospital staff said.
"We're starting to see COVID numbers increase, and we're worried that with respiratory virus and Influenza coming onboard, that it will lead to more admissions and create pressure on our inpatient floors," Dr. Kevin Chan, LHSC's vice president for medicine, research and academics said Monday.
Masks will be available at hospital entrances. The new protocols come in to effect on Thurs. Oct. 31.
Last week, the Middlesex London Health Unit said one person was been hospitalized for influenza, and another with RSV. It also noted that hospital visits for people seeking treatment for respiratory illness were high.