Face coverings now required on McMaster University campuses

Hamilton | Ontario | Latest News |

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Published July 14, 2020 at 1:14 pm

Face coverings are now required in all indoor public places at all McMaster University locations, the school announced last week.

Face coverings are now required in all indoor public places at all McMaster University locations, the school announced last week.

Starting Tuesday (July 14), the University requires that people accessing their campuses wear a face covering.

Indoor public spaces include: hallways, elevators, lobbies, classrooms, washrooms and other common use areas — any indoor space where physical distancing can be difficult to maintain, in addition to university shuttle buses.

Exemptions to the new requirement would include those who should not wear a mask for health reasons or for religious considerations.

The University also notes that wearing a mask or face covering does not replace the need for physical distancing or all other health and safety measures.

This new measure is in addition to existing workplace health and safety guidelines and practices for COVID-19 that Mac already has in place that requires personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriate for the specific nature of work, including research labs and in medical environments.

Because some of the school’s buildings are connected to hospital buildings and university employees also work in hospital settings, anyone using those locations must follow the hospital protocols which also require masks.

For those who come to the main campus and do not have a face covering, disposable masks will be available at the following locations, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.:

  • The COMPASS desk in MUSC
  • The lobby of John Hodgins Engineering Building (JHE).

Last week, the City of Hamilton moved a step closer to making masks mandatory in indoor public places, after the Board of Health voted in favour of a bylaw introduced in a motion at Friday’s (July 10) meeting.

If City council ratifies the bylaw later this week, it is expected to go into effect on Monday, July 20.

“While cases are currently stable, and Hamilton has entered Stage 2 of the re-opening process, the risk for the ongoing spread of COVID-19 continues,” said Hamilton’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson in her executive summary to Hamilton City Council.

Masks would be mandatory in commercial areas, retail spaces, and places of worship.

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