Elliot Lake hospital moving towards ‘normalcy’ with mask-friendly policy
St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake (SJGHEL) moving towards “normalcy,” said hospital officials in a news release Friday.
An undated file photo of disposable medical mask. (CTV News)
Starting on April 29, SJGHEL will transition from its Universal Masking Policy to a more ‘mask-friendly’ policy.
“As we continue to navigate the challenges posed by COVID-19 and other Acute Respiratory
Infections (ARIs), SJGHEL remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its
patients, staff, and visitors while adapting to evolving circumstances,” read the release.
The hospital will still encourage everyone to continue practicing good hand hygiene and “respiratory etiquette” to help mitigate the spread of respiratory illnesses.
“As an outbreak prevention measure to our most vulnerable patients, all essential care partners and visitors to inpatient units will still be required to wear a medical mask while in shared occupancy rooms, until further notice,” said staff.
SJGHEL will still require masking of all patients and their support persons attending the emergency, chemotherapy and day surgery departments until they are assessed by a healthcare provider.
The hospital said it will also continue to monitor Algoma Public Health recommendations and policies or procedures may be adjusted to prioritize the health and safety of its staff and patients.
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