Safe family presence and visiting continues with new medical masking requirement in long-term care

New masking rules for long term care facilities in Sask.

With increasing COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan, and in an effort to further minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission and its variants, effective immediately, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is expanding its mandatory medical masking protocol.

Families and visitors in SHA long-term care homes and affiliates will now be required to wear a medical mask provided by the long-term care home at all times, not just when outside of residents’ rooms. This masking protocol applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and applies to both single and multi-resident rooms. This change aligns with the latest Government of Saskatchewan Public Health Order. As the number of outbreaks in long-term care increases and the number of residents infected with COVID-19 and its variants continues to increase, additional safety precautions, including mandatory masking in resident rooms, are needed.

Long-term care residents are not required to mask in their own rooms, as this is their home, but are encouraged to mask when outside their room and in common indoor areas.

The requirement for families and visitors to mask within SHA acute facilities continues.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is urgently requesting co-operation from families and visitors to properly wear medical masks at all times within health-care facilities and long term care homes. We know that it is essential for patients and long-term care residents to be supported by their loved ones while receiving care; masking of family and visitors is one of the ways we are able to support safe family presence.

New masking rules for long term care facilities in Sask.