All staff, including those not working with patients, to wear masks at LHSC

The London Health Sciences Centre is now requiring all staff to wear masks inside the hospital at all times.

The new policy comes into effect Thursday morning at 6 a.m. and includes all doctors, nurses, other medical staff such as respiratory technicians and lab workers, as well as non-medical staff, whether they come into contact with patients or not.

"Previously we moved to having all clinical staff having masks. That has been in place for quite some time, but this new move is all staff, clinical and not, masking while they're working at LHSC," said Dr. Michael Payne, the hospital's medical director ofinfection prevention and control.

"If someone is working and there's an unfortunatescenario where they were sick, it would prevent us having to send home and quarantine the other people around them. That's the main benefit of having our non-medical staff masked."

So far, hospital staff have been donning the masks within clinical areas and voluntarily throughout the hospital, but the policy will now be mandatory.

The shift is a win for unions representing workers within the hospital, who have been advocating for mandatory mask-wearing in the hospital for weeks.

In some parts of the hospital, such as labs, staffwere not working directly with patients but still wanted to wear masks, the unions have said.

Employees, who are screened as they arrive for their shifts,will now get a mask upon entrance.

They must wear them in hallways, elevators, offices and elevators. The only exceptions are when one person is working alone in a room, and when someone is eating or drinking.

Staff providing direct care to patients will get a Level 2 mask, while others will get a Level 1 mask.

"Masking is a widely accepted and proven method of source control for COVID-19," says a memo sent to staff.

"As LHSC begins to plan to resume more clinical services, and as the province progressively, lifts restrictions, masking of all staff, physicians and affiliates across all areas of the hospital premises will be required."