Required masking is back in all patient care designated areas of the North Bay Regional Hospital.
Starting tomorrow (Thursday), the policy will apply to all patients, care partners, visitors, employees, physicians and contractors. Masks will be available at the main entrances and entrances to units/clinics.
"The decision to move to masking again in all patient-designated areas was determined by our current level of hospitalizations from respiratory viruses and community transmission," says a hospital Facebook post.
Masks are required in all areas designated for patient care. This includes all in-patient units where patient care takes place and all out-patient clinics and waiting areas (medical imaging, lab, clinics) and the Emergency Department.
Masks are optional in public and staff areas like hallways, team nursing stations, break and meeting rooms, cafeteria, Tim Hortons and Town Square.
Visitors who feel unwell are asked to postpone visiting until they feel well.
Meanwhile, the "bed crisis" at the hospital appears to have eased. On November 12 the hospital issued a news release warning, "It’s important for our community to know that some patients could be waiting in our Emergency Department for days. The hospital said it was experiencing an "unprecedented surge" in patient volumes resulting in a "bed crisis."
See: 'Bed crisis' warns North Bay Regional hospital
And: Hospital bed crisis no surprise to local doctors
"Last week our Health Centre was faced with extreme bed pressures that resulted in temporary changes to how we serve and care for our community," it says in a Facebook post.
"Our patient volumes will always fluctuate, however, we are happy to report that over the past few days, they have stabilized."
