Face masks must be worn once again at hospitals in Mississauga

All people working at and visiting Mississauga’s two hospitals must once again wear face masks when around patients due to a recent surge in COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.

Officials with Trillium Health Partners (THP), the health-care network that runs both Mississauga and Credit Valley hospitals in addition to Queensway Health Centre in Etobicoke, said in an online update on Thursday that effective immediately they were reinstating the mask mandate “due to the rising transmission and outbreak activity of respiratory viruses at THP.”

They noted that such illnesses, including the flu, COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), are also on the rise in the general community.

After being in place for nearly two years, the THP mask mandate was lifted in early July of this year to align with policy at other Ontario hospitals as COVID-19 and other similar illnesses had become less prevalent and severe.

However, the situation has changed across the province, country and beyond with the onset of fall, prompting masks to be mandated in most places yet again.

“Effective Oct. 5, everyone must wear a mask in all areas of the hospital, except in common and administration areas that will remain mask friendly (masks optional). Masks will be available at all hospital entrances,” THP officials said in their online statement.

More specifically, hospital officials continued, they are reinstating “masking for everyone in all patient care areas, including waiting rooms.”

The mandate is intended to protect patients and staff “and to maintain the health of our workforce. It also aligns with the practice of other Ontario hospitals,” THP said.

THP officials add that they’ll continue to monitor respiratory illness in their three hospitals and other communities, and will make changes to masking policies as needed.

RSV causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract and is so common that most children have been infected with the virus by age two. The virus can also infect adults and while most cases are mild, it can cause severe infection in some people.

Brampton Civic Hospital and Peel Memorial Centre (Brampton) are also mandating masks once again, effective Oct. 10.