Bonnie Henry clarifies mandatory masking in B.C. health-care settings

Face masks will once again be required for many people in B.C. health-care settings beginning next week.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed at a news conference Thursday that “masks are mandatory in health-care settings” as of Oct. 3 for health-care workers, visitors, and volunteers.

“Expect to wear a mask if you’re in a hospital or health-care setting in the next few months,” she said.

She says the guidelines come as B.C. is seeing a rise in cases of respiratory illness and COVID-19 provincewide.

“That’s the best we can do to protect each other and to make sure that we can slow down and decrease minimize the impact of these viruses on ourselves on our communities and on our health care system,” Henry explained.

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The announcement came a day after CityNews obtained a memo sent to health-care facilities outlining the requirements.

Henry says masks will be particularly important in long-term care homes and seniors’ assistant living facilities, where visitors will be required to wear a mask in “all common areas and when participating in any indoor events.”

“We are trying to find a balance, particularly in long-term care, of finding safe times for visitors to long-term care to have that important face-to-face contact with their loved one in a safe way,” Henry said.

The health officer says there will be “ambassadors” at the doors of health-care facilities to ensure these requirements are being adhered to. She says security will also be on hand to assist, if needed.

Henry added masking requirements will not be enforced in private practices, along with dentist and chiropractor offices.

In addition to the updated masking requirements, Henry announced Thursday that invitations for updated COVID-19 vaccines will start being sent out around Thanksgiving.

With files from Liza Yuzda, Pippa Norman, and OMNI News