B.C. mask rules return to health-care settings

Masking is now mandatory for many people in certain health-care settings across B.C.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced last week the return of mask mandates for health-care workers, visitors, and volunteers in patient-care areas of places like hospitals and other public facilities. Masks are not mandatory in private practices, along with dentist and chiropractor offices.

The requirement comes as B.C. continues to see a rise in cases of respiratory illness and COVID-19, she said.

“Expect to wear a mask if you’re in a hospital or a health-care setting in the next few months. That’s the best we can do to protect each other,” Henry explained.

“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.”

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The announcement came a day after CityNews obtained a memo sent to health-care facilities outlining the “continuous medical masking” requirements.

Masks are not required for patients, clients, and residents, unless “directed by a health care worker or based on personal choice.”

However, Henry says masking is particularly important in places like 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.”

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

Masking requirements were lifted in health-care settings earlier this year, in April.

Doctors welcome return of masks in health-care settings

Dr. Brian Conway, the Medical Director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre, says it was an “important decision” to bring masks back to health-care settings.

“It’s consistent with what we know about how COVID is spreading right now, especially in settings where very vulnerable individuals could die of COVID if they get it,” he told CityNews Tuesday.

Conway says as we look to the future, we shouldn’t be surprised to see requirements like this during respiratory illness season.

“I think this mask etiquette and this mask guidance is important for us to consider society-wide,” he explained.

“I think it really will be case-by-case, day by day, more often in the fall and in the winter when respiratory viruses transmit more easily.”

He says cold cases are beginning to rise “significantly” in B.C., with cases of COVID, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) expected to increase in the weeks ahead.

When it comes to people who are against wearing a face mask, Conway says current and future rules will likely only be in place for certain settings.

“I think that you don’t need to wear a mask all the time, but there may be some settings where to protect yourself and protect those around you, it may make sense to wear a mask,” he said.

“We’re not going to have hard and fast rules to cover every part of your life and this is certainly not higher authorities wanting to interfere with your life or impose behaviours on you.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Joshua Greggain, president of Doctors of BC, says the rules are a necessary move.

“To be honest, none of us totally love wearing a mask all the time. But, it’s what we do as health-care professionals. We help protect patients, we help protect the patients who are most vulnerable, who are elderly, who are at risk,” he told CityNews.

-With files from Kate Walker, Liza Yuzda, and Pippa Norman