Ministry of Long-Term Care Implements Enhanced Masking as of November 6, 2023

All Long-Term Care homes in Ontario received notification that due to the recent trends showing a moderate to high level of community transmission of COVID-19 and an increase in COVID-19 outbreaks in home, with an increased risk of hospitalization amongst residents. We will be required to follow the masking guidelines below.

Based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the following enhanced masking measures for non-outbreak situations are being put into effect in LTCHs:

• Requiring staff, students, support workers, and volunteers to wear a mask when in resident areas indoors, and
• Strongly recommending visitors and caregivers to wear a mask in resident areas indoors except when with the resident in the resident’s room or when eating or drinking with a resident in communal spaces. If a resident in a shared room is uncomfortable with others removing their mask, homes are encouraged to designate a space to enable the roommate to have visitors without masking.

We will be implementing the following changes as of November 6, 2023.