Mask mandate remains at Health P.E.I. facilities as flu season drags on

As respiratory illness season continues across the province, Health P.E.I. is reminding Islanders that a mandatory masking policy remains in effect at all of its facilities.

Lara MacMurdo, director of occupational health, safety and wellness at Health P.E.I., said that even though it's already May, the province is still experiencing respiratory illness season, which means all visitors and health-care workers have to mask when they're in Health P.E.I. facilities.

Masks can be removed in designated areas, including cafeterias and private patient rooms where no health-care worker is present.

"The weather is getting nicer… We think the respiratory illness season should be over by now. Unfortunately, we're not playing by the same rules that we might have been used to," MacMurdo told CBC News.

"We are still in the respiratory illness season, where we're seeing a test positivity rate [for influenza] that is above our threshold of five per cent. So right now, P.E.I. is sitting at about 12 per cent."

She added that compared to last year, the peak of P.E.I.'s influenza season arrived a little later this year, which means the season is expected to last longer than usual. Last month alone, three influenza outbreaks were reported in Health P.E.I. facilities.

MacMurdo said masking — along with the health authority's ongoing measures such as promoting proper hand hygiene and asking people to stay home when they're sick — can help protect not just health-care workers, but also patients, their visitors and the broader community.

The Chief Public Health Office releases test positivity data every week and meets with Health P.E.I. every second week to review it. Health P.E.I. will assess whether measures can be adjusted after the next update, MacMurdo said.

"If those numbers are trending downwards, we're in the right direction, and we can look to revising our measures."

She said while staff sometimes get questions from visitors about the mask mandate, most people are following the rules.