Hospitals in at least four U.S. states have implemented mandatory mask-wearing following a rise in coronavirus infections, thought to be exacerbated by the emergence of a predominant new strain of the virus.
Medical institutions in California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York, as well as Washington, D.C., have all brought back rules meaning face masks are mandatory for certain people, following the official end of the COVID-19 pandemic in America.
It comes as states in New England and the southeast are among those to have seen the greatest rises in hospitalizations with the virus in the latest recorded week. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that nationally the number of positive cases had risen by 12.7 percent in the week to December 23 compared with the week prior.
Last week, Mass General Brigham—the largest health system in Massachusetts—said that from January 2, masks would be required for healthcare staff directly engaging with patients until respiratory illnesses are deemed to have fallen below 2.85 percent of patients they deal with.
While the rule does not extend to patients and visitors, they are strongly encouraged to wear masks. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston said it would require mask-wearing for patients and staff on December 18.
Hospitals in New York City, as well as the state's Suffolk and Nassau counties, have also reintroduced mask mandates, with medical professionals citing an uptick in cases following the Thanksgiving holiday.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said on December 14 that it "is advising healthcare facilities to step up mitigation efforts to minimize the spread of respiratory viruses" including "facility-wide masking at healthcare facilities" in counties with high infection rates.
According to the latest CDC figures, 16 counties currently have "high" levels of hospital admissions with COVID in the week ending December 23. Illinois is among states in the region to see a moderate week-on-week increase in positive tests.
The IDPH said the measure had been put in place not only because of COVID, but also "elevated transmission" of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza.
Staff at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital in D.C. are currently required to wear a mask while at work.
Officials in Yolo County, California have also asked patients, workers and visitors to hospitals to mask up due to increased respiratory infections.
Marin County hospitals have had a mask mandate in place since November 1. In Santa Clara County, masks have been required since April 4. In San Francisco, masks are required in hospital settings for all workers in medical fields and in prisons.
During the summer, some private institutions, hospital operators and colleges reintroduced requirements for staff and visitors to wear masks while at their sites to limit the spread of COVID infections. Many of these mandates were eased after cases appeared to plateau in early September, though some hospitals in New Jersey reintroduced them in response to infection rates.
The recent uptick in positive cases and hospitalizations with COVID is something health officials have expected during the winter months. Colder weather tends to lead to an increased spread of viruses and other infections as immunity is lower.
As of the time of writing, no states have implemented a statewide mandate to wear face masks.
In September, Texas banned mask mandates for public spaces altogether—though it exempted state-supported living centers, Texas Department of Criminal Justice sites and government-owned healthcare facilities from the prohibition.
Mask mandates in a broader setting have become a thorny political issue, pitting what some see as an infringement of their personal liberties against what health officials view as one of several measures that limit the spread of the virus among the general population.
There are differing opinions among the scientific community as to the efficacy of mask-wearing, though many agree that when used in tandem with other measures—such as washing hands, social distancing and vaccination—they help stop the virus spreading.
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