Amidst an increase in hospitalizations and instances of respiratory infections such as COVID-19 and influenza, certain hospitals nationwide are reintroducing their policies regarding indoor mask use.
At least six states have implemented masking policies at their hospitals: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin.
On December 26, Cook County Health, which operates hospitals and community health centers in and around Chicago, announced on its website that all employees, patients, and visitors two years of age and older would need to wear masks in waiting areas and patient exam rooms.
In addition, a Los Angeles County Public Health order that mandates mask use for all medical staff members when interacting with patients or working in patient care areas took effect when the county’s COVID-19 hospital admission rate reached the “medium” threshold, which is defined as 10. to 19.9 new admissions per 100,000.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), respiratory illness activity is “high” or “very high” in 31 states plus Washington, D.C. These states are experiencing a high number of patients visiting emergency rooms or primary care offices with respiratory complaints like fever, sore throats, or coughs.