Mask mandates removed for health-care workers across N.L., according to internal memo

As of Monday, health-care workers in Newfoundland and Labrador will not be required to wear masks in all situations as a precaution against COVID-19.

The province's health authority sent a memo to staff on Friday, letting them know "continuous masking will no longer be a requirement in health-care facilities located within Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services."

The memo says the move is "further to direction from the Department of Health and Community Services."

Masking will still be mandatory in some situations, such as dealing with COVID-positive patients, for example, or when a respiratory swab is pending. If a patient is asymptomatic, or has a negative swab, staff are asked to do a point-of-care risk assessment to determine if they need to wear a mask.

Staff, visitors and patients will have to self-assess before entering the building.

The memo says workers are still encouraged to wear masks for all direct patient care, despite it not being mandatory in all situations.

This move comes 10 days after the COVID-19 pandemic was downgraded by the World Health Organization, no longer classifying it as a global health emergency. It is still considered a pandemic, however.

Newfoundland and Labrador lifted the "public health emergency" designation in March of 2022, on the two-year anniversary of the first known case of COVID-19. That brought an end to most pandemic restrictions in the province, such as capacity limits, physical distancing and mandatory masks in public places other than health-care facilities.

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