EDMONTON—Seven Alberta hospitals have moved to reinstate mask mandates, stating it is to “help prevent transmission of COVID-19,” with six of them in Edmonton and one in Red Deer, following a directive issued by Alberta Health Services (AHS) that local sites could decide independently to require masks.
As of Oct. 16, according to an AHS update, masking is required for Edmonton AHS staff, physicians, volunteers, contractors, and lab workers in patient-facing areas at the University of Alberta Hospital and neighbouring Stollery Children’s Hospital, the Misericordia Community Hospital, Grey Nuns Community Hospital, Alberta Hospital Edmonton—a psychiatric site—and the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. The Royal Alexandra Hospital implemented a mask mandate on Oct. 13.
