CMTO - End of Mandatory Masking and Wind Down of COVID-19 Directives

On June 8, 2022, the Chief Medical Officer of Health announced the end of most mask mandates and that any remaining directives will be revoked and replaced with new guidance. CMTO’s COVID-19 page has been updated to reflect recent changes and a summary is below:

Masking:

✔ Except for long-term care and retirement homes, mandatory masking has ended.

✔ While masking requirements are expiring, organizations may implement their own policies. Some organizations, such as hospitals, have already enacted their own masking policies. RMTs in these settings should follow any advice provided by their employer.

✔ When determining whether to use PPE, RMTs should be guided by a risk assessment. The Ministry of Health also released guidance on PPE for health care workers and health care entities.

✔ CMTO expects that some clients will wish to remain masked, some will want their RMT to be masked, and some RMTs may request that a client wear a mask. RMTs should base the decision to use personal protective equipment on a risk assessment (as noted above). RMTs should also use a client-centred approach, mask if they wish, and mask at the client’s request. RMTs should communicate any masking preferences ahead of the appointment to allow clients to prepare accordingly.

Risk assessment, careful communication, tolerance, and professional judgement will continue to guide RMTs’ decisions on treatment and use of personal protective equipment.

Screening:

✔ The Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Patient Screening Guidance Document continues to be available.

✔ RMTs cannot provide treatment to anyone with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 until those symptoms have subsided or to anyone who is supposed to be self-isolating at the time of their scheduled appointment.

✔ RMTs should use their professional judgement to determine whether to collect COVID-19 information as part of a client’s health history.

CMTO anticipates that guidance will continue changing as Ontario shifts from a provincial emergency response to integrating the management of COVID-19 into routine health system operations. We appreciate your patience as we work to interpret and provide this guidance.

If you have any questions, please contact CMTO’s Practice Specialist at practicespecialist@cmto.com or by phone at 416-489-2626/1-800-465-1933 extension 4124. For more information, please visit CMTO’s COVID-19 webpage.