Sask. officially announces end to mandatory masking in health facilities, vaccination app

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is officially moving back to routine infection prevention, which includes optional masking.

The SHA made the announcement in a news release on Tuesday morning.

“Masking will no longer be required for patients/residents, staff or visitors,” the release read.

“Masking will be optional in all SHA facilities including administrative offices, hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities.”

The announcement noted that the changes in policy are supported by the province’s chief medical health officer , Dr. Saqib Shahab.

“All health systems have been looking at this and trying to adjust their policies given where we are with COVID-19,” Dr. Shahab said in an interview.

“Over the last eight to nine months what we’ve seen is that Covid activity, while it’s still continuing as we see in the CRISP report, has been fairly flat.”

Dr. Shahab said he understands it could be unsettling for health care workers to consider not masking at work. He added anyone who feels more comfortable in a mask should continue wearing one.

“After three years and two months of constant mask use – that’s a long time to wear a mask all the time – they can relax the requirement for mask use at all times,” Shahab said.

“We have to remember that still doesn’t change basic principles that have been there even before COVID-19. That is that if you are unwell and you have to go and see your health care provider, call them ahead and tell them you’re unwell. Wear a mask when you go and see them, because that protects others from you.”

He added anyone who is immunosuppressed should be wearing masks at all times.

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, will still be required for staff and visitors during outbreaks or in “high-risk clinical areas” as part of the organization’s infection control policies.

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PPE includes masks, gloves and gowns, the SHA noted.

Masks will still be optional for staff, visitors and patients who prefer to wear them.

The change in policy will only affect SHA run facilities, with private physicians’ offices and clinics able to enforce their own policies regarding masking on site.

The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) said it was shocked and disappointed by the announcement that masks would not longer be required. The president said the group was not consulted ahead of the announcement.

“This is a move that is quite unexpected,” Tracy Zambory, SUN president, said.

“People are still dying from COVID-19. It is the largest factor for hospitalization. We’re very concerned for people entering into not just the hospital, but our long term care facilities.”

In a statement, the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA) said it supports continuing to make masks available to staff, patients and visitors at the entrances of all SHA facilities.

“The SMA has always advocated for masking as a good measure in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting our most vulnerable patients. And I’m sure many of our doctors still feel that way,” Dr. John Gjevre, the president of SMA, said.

Another pandemic era service, the SK Vax Wallet app, will stop receiving updates on April 17 and will become unavailable on app stores effective April 30, the province revealed.

COVID-19 vaccination records will still be made available on residents’ MySaskHealthRecord accounts.

Public health orders requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter businesses, workplaces and other venues ended on Feb. 14, 2022, the government noted in its release.