Latest news with #respiratoryillness
CBC
23-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Health P.E.I. says visitors and staff no longer have to wear masks at its facilities
Now that respiratory illness season is dying down, Health P.E.I. has lifted a mandatory masking policy that was in effect at all of its facilities. " Monitoring data from Prince Edward Island's Chief Public Health Office show the positivity rate for influenza testing is well below five per cent, the national benchmark for declaring respiratory season over," the health authority said in a news release Friday afternoon. For the last several months, masks could be removed only in designated areas of P.E.I. hospitals, health centres and publicly operated long-term care homes. Those included cafeterias and canteens, as well as private patient rooms as long as no health-care worker was present. "Staff will continue to follow routine personal protective practices, including using proper hand hygiene and the cleaning of patient care equipment and the environment," the news release said.
CBC
15-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Mask mandate remains at Health P.E.I. facilities as flu season drags on
As respiratory illness season continues across the province, Health P.E.I. is reminding Islanders that a mandatory masking policy remains in effect at all of its facilities. Lara MacMurdo, director of occupational health, safety and wellness at Health P.E.I., said that even though it's already May, the province is still experiencing respiratory illness season, which means all visitors and health-care workers have to mask when they're in Health P.E.I. facilities. Masks can be removed in designated areas, including cafeterias and private patient rooms where no health-care worker is present. "The weather is getting nicer… We think the respiratory illness season should be over by now. Unfortunately, we're not playing by the same rules that we might have been used to," MacMurdo told CBC News. "We are still in the respiratory illness season, where we're seeing a test positivity rate [for influenza] that is above our threshold of five per cent. So right now, P.E.I. is sitting at about 12 per cent." She added that compared to last year, the peak of P.E.I.'s influenza season arrived a little later this year, which means the season is expected to last longer than usual. Last month alone, three influenza outbreaks were reported in Health P.E.I. facilities. MacMurdo said masking — along with the health authority's ongoing measures such as promoting proper hand hygiene and asking people to stay home when they're sick — can help protect not just health-care workers, but also patients, their visitors and the broader community. The Chief Public Health Office releases test positivity data every two weeks. Health P.E.I. will review the next update to assess whether measures can be adjusted, she said. "If those numbers are trending downwards, we're in the right direction, and we can look to revising our measures." She said while staff sometimes get questions from visitors about the mask mandate, most people are following the rules.
