Seven Alberta hospitals, six in Edmonton and one in Red Deer, have reinstated mask mandates to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. This decision was made independently by the local sites following a directive from Alberta Health Services (AHS). The hospitals affected include the University of Alberta Hospital, Stollery Children’s Hospital, Misericordia Community Hospital, Grey Nuns Community Hospital, Alberta Hospital Edmonton, the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, and the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Effective October 16, the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre (RDRHC) also implemented mask mandates, including the Central Alberta Cancer Centre. Masks are required in patient care areas, elevators, staircases, hallways, common areas, gift shops, and cafeterias where patient contact could be expected. Patients and visitors are not required to wear masks in these areas, but masking is required in emergency departments and labor and delivery assessment/triage areas.
AHS has emphasized that no patient shall be denied services. If patients, family, support persons, or visitors decline to wear masks, the healthcare team will work collaboratively with them to find the most suitable and safest solution for the situation.
Mask mandates were removed in Alberta hospitals just four months ago on June 19. AHS stated that the decision to implement masking in individual sites is based on various factors, including hospitalization rates, outbreak numbers, occupancy, test positivity, and situational context.
As of October 16, several units in different hospitals were on outbreak status. Royal Alexandra Hospital had 12 units on outbreak, University of Alberta Hospital had two units on outbreak, Misericordia Community Hospital had five units on outbreak, Grey Nuns Community Hospital had two units on outbreak, Alberta Hospital Edmonton had three units on outbreak, and Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital had two units on outbreak. At RDRHC, three units were on COVID-19 outbreak.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated that AHS has the autonomy to implement mask mandates in acute care facilities. However, she is committed to not implementing province-wide mask mandates. She believes that if Albertans want to wear masks, they should have the freedom to do so. Ms. Smith mentioned that the government appointed the Public Health Emergencies Governance Review Panel, led by Preston Manning, to review legislation and policy. Recommendations from the panel will be submitted to the cabinet by November 15, 2023, to inform future changes.