Easing of rules surrounding the wearing of masks

Vitalité Health Network - Monday, May 8, 2023 – Vitalité Health Network is updating the mask requirement in its facilities.

Wearing a mask is no longer mandatory in the direct patient care environment. Health care staff will assess whether a mask is required in each patient encounter and wear a mask if necessary.

However, wearing masks for direct patient care remains mandatory in the oncology units, at the Dr. Léon-Richard Oncology Centre, and at the Auberge Mgr-Henri-Cormier.

Several indicators from Prevention and Infection Control have been considered to inform our decision to lift the mandatory mask requirement in all circumstances.

The decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations, the decrease in the 7-day average positivity rate and the decrease in the number of positive employees, combined with a considerable decrease in the number of outbreaks and nosocomial cases across our health care facilities, have been observed.

If you are a patient
Screeners at the entrance doors will ask you if you have respiratory symptoms, then ask you to wear a mask if you do.

Mask-wearing is strongly encouraged for all hospitalized individuals who are moving around hospital corridors, and we ask you, as well as all employees, to observe appropriate infection prevention and control measures to ensure everyone's safety.

If you are a visitor or designated support person
Visitors and/or designated support persons (DSPs) will be provided with a mask upon entry and must wear it while in proximity to hospitalized patients.
Visitors and/or DSPs who report respiratory symptoms will be asked to refrain from entering the facility.

Let's remain vigilant
We ask you to use your judgment and wear a mask if you have symptoms or have been in contact with a positive case in order to protect the most vulnerable people.

Finally, we invite you to continue to follow other prevention measures, such as frequent hand washing and physical distancing. These measures remain important to limit the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections.

We will remain vigilant, and in case of an increase in respiratory virus activity, we will reassess health measures to protect everyone's health. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and inform you of any significant change.

We thank you for your collaboration: together we will continue to ensure a healthy environment for everyone.