Dear Members of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences community,
As we approach the start of the Winter 2023 semester, I would like to confirm the Faculty’s directives regarding the wearing of masks on both campuses and in McGill clinical settings. While McGill’s current guidelines do not require masks, it is understood that for the health professions we must employ more rigorous measures to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 and other viruses, and to protect the McGill health care community and system.
The Faculty’s directives for the upcoming session are as follows:
On Both Campuses
- School of Medicine, School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, and School of Communication Sciences and Disorders– Students and residents in these schools must wear masks on campus when in a classroom or any group learning setting. A teacher who is teaching more than 2-metres distance from students, e.g., at the front of the class, may remove their mask. While mask-wearing in other common spaces is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged, to protect one another. These measures apply equally to administrative staff supporting the schools, including members of the WELL Office when meeting learners in closed spaces similar to a classroom or smaller.
- Ingram School of Nursing (ISoN) – Masks are required in all learning environments, as well as in other ISoN spaces such as lounges, study areas and corridors; all measures that were in place for Fall 2022 continue to apply.
- School of Population and Global Health and School of Biomedical Sciences – While masks are not required, they are strongly recommended, especially when in learning or closed spaces with classmates and colleagues from the health profession schools.
McGill Clinical Settings
- All learning activities in our clinical settings fall under the purview of the Quebec government’s and site’s directives. At this time, mask-wearing remains mandatory. This also applies to administrative staff located in clinical settings. Graduate students who may have their labs in clinical settings must also follow their site’s directives.
COVID-positive?
- Health profession schools – If you test positive for the COVID-19 virus, Faculty directives for when you are on campus require that you isolate for five days, after which you must wear a mask and maintain + 2m distancing for the next five days. In McGill clinical settings, you must self-isolate and contact the Occupational and Health Safety Office of your site to confirm the local directives.
- Schools of Population & Global Health and Biomedical Sciences – Please follow current Quebec government guidelines.
COVID-negative?
- In the event you test negative for COVID-19, but suspect you have contracted a virus, regardless of school, we encourage you to refer to the Quebec government guidelines.
Thank you, everyone, for leading by example and helping to protect the health care system, and each other.
Wishing everyone a good start to 2023,
David Eidelman, MDCM Vice-Principal (Health Affairs)Dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences