On March 9, 2022, the Ontario Government announced changes to mask mandates, and the lifting of any remaining public health measures, directives and orders by the end of April. As society adjusts to these changes, physiotherapists should continue to prioritize patient-centred care and risk assessments in daily practice.
Mask Mandates: As of March 21, masks will no longer be required in public spaces, except for public transit, health care settings, long-term care homes and congregate care settings.
The College considers all physiotherapy practice settings to be health care settings. Physiotherapists should continue to wear surgical/procedural masks and patients should continue to wear a mask until April 27, 2022 when the remainder of the COVID requirements are expected to be lifted.
If the mask mandates are lifted on April 27 as anticipated, some patients and physiotherapists may choose to continue wearing a mask. Physiotherapists should continue to use a patient-centred approach by communicating masking preferences to the patient prior to the appointment and wearing a mask if requested by the patient.
If the patient does not want to wear a mask, the PT should be sensitive to that. Some patients may have a medical condition and have difficulty tolerating a mask. Discuss why a mask is recommended and provide them with alternatives if appropriate. Consider adaptations to practice, rather than refusal to provide care.
Physiotherapists should use professional judgement in considering client comfort and preference as public health measures are lifted (e.g., making hand sanitizer available and spacing out seating).
More information regarding COVID requirements including screening, contact tracing and vaccinations is available on the College's COVID page, which was recently updated to reflect the current circumstances.
We will continue to monitor developments and provide updates when needed. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Practice Advisors at 1-800-583-5885 ext. 241 or advice@collegept.org.