After three years, visitors at hospitals in Lambton County won’t have to wear a face mask.

Bluewater Health is lifting many of its mask mandates implemented to combat the spread of COVID-19 at the Sarnia and Petrolia sites.

Masking is now optional for visitors in outpatient and public spaces. However, masking is strongly recommended for visitors while in a patient’s room.
The only exception to the masking modifications, is in high-risk settings like the emergency department waiting areas in Sarnia and Petrolia, and when units are in outbreak, where all staff, patients and visitors will be required to wear a mask.

Hospital staff will still be required to wear a mask while providing patient care.

Dr. Michel Haddad, the chief of staff at Bluewater Health says COVID-19 is here to stay but with high levels of vaccination and recovery from infections, it is time to lift the pandemic restrictions.

“We have to plan to gradually and safely go back to normal, while we continue to focus on mitigating risk to vulnerable patients as we deal with this new respiratory virus for years to come. We need to move past the acute
phase of the pandemic.”

The Central Lambton Family Health Team in Petrolia also recently lifted most of its mask mandates.