Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital brings back masking
Posted Oct 14, 2023 1:12 pm.
Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital became the first hospital in Alberta to reintroduce masking.
Hospital staff, physicians, contractors and emergency room patients will be required to wear facemasks in some parts of the hospital, a spokesperson told CityNews Friday.
The Royal Alexandra Hospital says it took the decision to help prevent transmission of COVID-19.
It came two days after Alberta Health Services mandated masking for all staff, physicians, midwives, students, volunteers, contractors and lab workers in acute-care facilities. A final decision for implementing the mandate was left with the regions and individual hospitals.
Acute areas of the Edmonton hospital that are requiring masking: Robbins Pavilion, Active Treatment Centre (ATC), Diagnostic Treatment Centre (DTC), Orthopedic Surgery Centre (OSC), Women’s Building, and the Children’s Centre.
In those areas, masking is required in hallways, staircases, elevators, common areas, cafeterias and any location where patient contact is a possibility.
Mask-wearing is optional in staff break rooms and meeting rooms.
“Patients and visitors are not required to wear a mask in these areas, however masking is required for patients, designated support persons and visitors in the Royal Alexandra Hospital emergency department, and labour and delivery assessment/treatment areas. No patient shall be denied services,” a Royal Alexandra Hospital spokesperson said.
AHS is dealing with multiple COVID-19 outbreaks in hospitals across the province, including in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Athabasca and Medicine Hat.
As of Tuesday, there were 12 units at Royal Alexandra Hospital on COVID-19 outbreak, the hospital says.
With files from The Canadian Press
