In alignment with many hospitals across Ontario, effective Monday, April 24, Quinte Health has eased some pandemic control measures. This is due to higher rates of immunity through natural infection and COVID-19 immunization, reduced disease severity and community incidence, and changes to masking requirements for hospitals through Public Health Ontario during this lower risk period.

Masking continues to be required in all clinical, patient-facing areas for all inpatient, outpatient, and community-based programs. This includes:

• Inpatient units (including when visiting patients in their rooms) 
• Emergency departments
• Clinics (e.g. oncology clinic)
• All waiting rooms
• Other areas providing direct patient care (e.g. diagnostic imaging).

Health care workers will continue to wear a mask in patient care areas, including during patient care interactions.

Our measured step-down approach will allow staff, patients and loved ones to unmask in non-patient care areas (e.g. offices, hallways, washrooms, lobbies, cafeterias, meeting rooms, break rooms).

Although some masking requirements are being stepped down, please consider your vulnerabilities and level of comfort when deciding whether to mask in common areas such as hallways and coffee shops. Your decision to continue masking will be supported and respected.

Masks continue to be available at hospital entrances and entry points of patient care areas/waiting rooms.

Quinte Health will continue to monitor risk indicators and community prevalence and respond appropriately with heightened control measures, or reduced control measures, depending on what we’re seeing in our community. 

If you have symptoms of illness, please put on a mask at the hospital entrance and leave it on.

Please Do Not visit patients if you have any symptoms of illness.