Wearing a mask will be required — temporarily — in all clinical areas in hospitals and health-care facilities, including long-term care, across Newfoundland and Labrador in a bid to cut down on respiratory infections this flu season, says the provincial health authority.
In a statement on Wednesday, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services announced the mandate is in place effective Monday at 8 a.m. NT.
“These precautions are in place to help keep patients, clients, long-term care residents, visitors, staff and physicians safe and to help in the prevention and spread of infection,” the statement reads.
The health authority said it will monitor epidemiology, hospitalizations and outbreaks, and will re-evaluate the mandate as late as March 31, 2026.
NLHS also asked people to self-screen for COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses before they enter a health-care facility.
The health authority brought in a temporary mask mandate this time last year.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province’s chief medical officer of health, is asking people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza to help bring down case numbers.
Free COVID-19 and influenza vaccines are available across the province.
Seven out of 10 people hospitalized with influenza in Newfoundland and Labrador last year weren’t vaccinated against it, and around two-thirds of them were over the age of 65.
According to the provincial respiratory dashboard, there are currently two COVID-19 hospitalizations and no influenza hospitalizations in the recent reporting period between Oct. 12 and Oct. 18.
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