Last Updated: April 22, 2025
The enhanced masking directive helps to prevent transmission of respiratory viruses within our acute care facilities, emergency departments, urgent care centres and advanced ambulatory care centres. This directive supports zone and site leadership to determine if enhanced masking for staff, physicians, midwives, students, volunteers, and contracted providers is necessary. When enhanced masking is in effect, AHS people are required to mask inpatient care areas, elevators/staircases/hallways, common areas, gift shops, and cafeterias where patient contact could occur.
Decisions to implement will be based on several factors which consider number, size and impact of outbreaks, new hospitalizations with respiratory viruses, occupancy, test positivity, and situational context.
Where enhanced masking is implemented, masking will be required for patients, designated support persons and visitors in Emergency Departments in acute care facilities. The public can watch for signage at front entrances to determine where enhanced masking has been implemented.
Where enhanced masking is implemented, masking will be required for patients, designated support persons and visitors in Emergency Departments in acute care facilities. The public can watch for signage at front entrances to determine where enhanced masking has been implemented.
In addition, sites may also require staff, patients, designated support persons and visitors to mask in additional areas (e.g. cancer units). Signage will be posted in areas at sites where this is required.
Masking for visitors or designated family support persons is optional for sites that are not within Emergency Departments in acute care facilities.
AHS strongly encourages all visitors or designated family support persons attending any of our facilities to mask, stay home when ill, and continue to practice diligent hand hygiene as part of our ongoing efforts to keep patients, families and each other safe and healthy.
We encourage visitors or designated family support persons who have had respiratory symptoms to wait to visit loved ones until they feel well enough to resume normal activities and are free of fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. After which time they are encouraged to wear a mask for an additional 5 days when attending an AHS site.
Access information for Health Professionals including site memos and signage. AHS credentials are required.
