New Brunswick’s Horizon Health Network says it is updating masking guidelines at its facilities.
Starting Monday, health-care workers, patients, social visitors, and designated support persons will be required to wear a medical-grade face mask in patient-facing/clinical areas.
Horizon says the areas include all inpatient units, outpatient/ambulatory care clinics, emergency departments, and any other clinical setting, including waiting areas.
People won’t be required to wear masks in non-clinical areas, like hospital lobbies, hallways, or cafeterias.
The updated guidelines come after the health authority said earlier this month it was bringing back masking in hospitals experiencing outbreaks of respiratory viruses.
Horizon says health-care workers and designated support persons, and patients outside their room, must now continuously wear a face mask on outbreak units.
Social visitors are also not permitted on a unit experiencing an outbreak.
“Horizon’s Infectious Diseases/Infection Prevention and Control team is closely monitoring respiratory virus activity in our communities and facilities and will review this information throughout the respiratory illness season (October through April) to determine when updates to masking guidance can safely be made,” a Thursday press release reads.
