Restrictions on access to Ontario hospitals are ending, as cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have diminished in the province.

Today, individual screening for SARS for anyone entering acute care hospital buildings ended, after local hospitals received new directives from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. That includes the McMaster Health Sciences Centre, the home of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Restrictions on access to Hamilton hospitals will end by midnight tonight. All main entrances to hospital buildings will reopen tomorrow (Saturday), however some minor entrances at hospital sites will remain closed. Previous parking practices at hospitals will resume on the weekend.

The screening and restricted access to hospitals was begun at all Ontario hospitals in early April to contain the growth of SARS cases which began in Toronto from an international traveller. No probable or suspected cases of SARS were identified in Hamilton.

Although the hospitals have been reopened, the province is requiring vigilance for SARS to continue in what will be considered the “new normal.”

On an ongoing basis, all hospitals will post signs at entrances, requiring those entering the building to self-screen themselves. People are being asked to report to a hospital emergency department if they have, in the past 10 days, been in contact with a SARS patient OR in a health care facility closed due to SARS OR returned from an affected area AND has any of symptom of unexplained muscle aches, severe fatigue, headache, recent cough, unusual shortness of breath or fever.

The signs are to be changed weekly to update the affected areas. At this time the affected areas are China, Hong Kong and/or Taiwan.

McMaster's SARS protocol on international visitors remains in effect. The details can be found at http://www.mcmaster.ca/sarsupdate.html

At hospitals, SARS screening will remain in emergency departments, and SARS patients will be handled appropriately. Hospitals will maintain preparedness for a deterioration of the SARS situation, and changes in access would occur again if a hospital had unprotected exposure to a SARS patient.

Proper hand washing and healthy behaviour, such as not coming to work or visiting a hospital if unwell, will be strongly encouraged for everyone in the province on an ongoing basis.

John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences, said the extraordinary courtesy of McMaster staff to accommodate classes and sessions moved out of hospital buildings was thoroughly appreciated.

“We were faced with an emergency situation of having to move all of our students out of hospital buildings, not just for one or two days, but six weeks. Everyone on campus was extremely helpful in allowing us to move in with them. We certainly enjoyed their hospitality.”