Considering the evolution of the epidemiological situation related to COVID-19, we inform you that, yesterday morning, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux announced the alleviation of a large majority of measures put in place over the last few years. The first easing, which takes effect immediately, is the removal of the requirement to wear procedure masks in all our facilities, with a few exceptions.
All users, caregivers, companions, visitors, volunteers and healthcare workers are no longer required to wear a universal mask, with the exception of the following vulnerable persons:
- Hemato-oncology users hospitalized or accommodated on a care unit;
- Neonatology users hospitalized on a care unit (excluding newborns);
- Users with severe immunosuppression;
- Users with solid organ transplants.
Mask wearing is required for these vulnerable users when they are in contact with a healthcare worker within their environment or when moving around our facilities. Masks must also be worn by those who work with them or enter their environment (room, treatment room, cubicle, etc.).
These instructions are intended as the minimum to be respected, but it should be noted that it is up to the local Prévention, contrôle des infections (PCI) team to assess and determine whether additional measures should be applied in a particular context.
For example, in an outbreak context, masking and other applicable measures will be based on the recommendations of the PCI team. For the time being, however, we remind you that a positive or suspected user must still be placed in isolation, and the additional precautions in force remain in effect.
In addition, it is important to remember that hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, including wearing a mask when experiencing symptoms of acute respiratory infection (such as coughing, congestion, sneezing, runny nose), must be respected by all users, caregivers, visitors, students, volunteers and healthcare workers.