Rising cases of respiratory illnesses including COVID-19 mean the return of masks to hospitals, clinics and long-term care homes starting Oct. 3, but not other facilities offering medical care and other public facilities such as schools.
Health-care workers and visitors haven91裸聊视频檛 had to wear masks since last April, when provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said COVID-19 cases had dropped off enough to safely remove the mandate. But she also said at the time that restrictions may return in the fall and Henry announced just that Thursday (Sept. 28) as part of an update about the coming respiratory illness season, which she delivered with health minister Adrian Dix.
Health-care workers, visitors, contractors and volunteers will have to start wearing masks starting Oct. 3 in areas where patients or residents are receiving medical care, Henry said. The masking requirement also applies to visitors of long-term care and assisting living facilities for facilities. They must wear them in all common areas and when taking part in any indoor events in common areas.
Henry said different settings pose different risks and the mask mandate for facilities tries to protect the most vulnerable. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 is where it makes the most difference in terms of having these layers of protection,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e know that all healthcare workers are vaccinated. The majority have hybrid immunity as well.91裸聊视频�
Henry said so-called ambassadors will be screening people for symptoms as they are entering facilities with mask mandates and to make sure that they have access to masks. 91裸聊视频淲e do have security if needed, but I would encourage people to work with people and we don91裸聊视频檛 go to enforcement first. What we go to is explaining to people the importance of doing this, making sure they are not putting others at risk and supporting them.91裸聊视频�
Other health care environments won91裸聊视频檛 be subject to the mandate.
91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 have directives that affect physicians and dentists and private practitioners in the community,91裸聊视频� Henry said. 91裸聊视频淲e do provide guidance and recommendation to them and I know from own experience that most dentists offices have never stopped wearing masks.91裸聊视频�
Schools are also not hospitals, Henry said, when asked schools won91裸聊视频檛 be subject to the mandate. 91裸聊视频淭he most important thing we have in schools is that people stay home, when they are sick, that we have provisions for that, we have looked at ventilation, that we have a known population,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 not a bunch of different people coming and going like we see in the acute care facilities, for example.91裸聊视频�
The mask mandate comes amidst rising cases of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Henry said they have been slowly rising since the end of August. Hospitalizations, critical care admissions and deaths among people who have COVID-19 have also increased this month.
This trend matches what health-care professionals see every year, with fall and winter seasons bringing a swell in respiratory illnesses.
Henry urged British Columbians to get vaccinated against both influenza and COVID-19, ideally at the same time, to protect both themselves and more vulnerable individuals, while also easing the pressure on the public health-care system.
Vaccines will be available to long-term care and health care workers as soon as vaccines become available with the start of the public campaign scheduled for Oct. 10. Groups receiving priority invitations include people with chronic health conditions, people aged 65 years and older, residents of long-term care homes, Indigenous peoples and pregnant people.
Dix also updated the public on broader preparations within the health care system.
91裸聊视频淥ur health care system has learnt and adapted to meet patients91裸聊视频� needs and we91裸聊视频檙e continuing to do that today,91裸聊视频� he said, having pointed that hospitals had already been treating more patients over the summer than usual. He said this September hospitals have been treating an average 350 more patients per day this month than last September.
91裸聊视频淥n Jan. 6, we reached 10,280 people in acute care and at that time, we took even more measures to address the situation to ensure that people were able to get care safely,91裸聊视频� he said.
It is against this backdrop that B.C. has taken even additional measures, he added. They include better coordination between health authorities and BC Emergency Health Services; development of a standard provincial seasonal surge response plan based on the last three respiratory seasons; sustained work on hiring more nurses and doctors and extensive work on raising the number of beds.
While B.C. historical bed base was 9,202, this number will rise to 9,880 for the fall and winter, Dix said. Health authorities will be able to add another 1,500 surge beds, he added.
Dix added later that his ministry continues to work with rural communities to ensure emergency room access. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 an absolute priority,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 want to see any emergency rooms closed.91裸聊视频�
wolfgang.depner@blackpress.ca
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