An Illinois hospital system issued a mask mandate due to “widespread respiratory illnesses.”
“Starting Tuesday, December 31, all employees, patients and visitors at our hospitals are required to wear masks due to the widespread respiratory illnesses in our communities, including COVID-19, influenza and RSV,” a statement from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center says. “Additionally, we are implementing a temporary visitor restriction: only two visitors (age 18+) per patient at a time. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our community safe.”
Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center said December 2 that it would require “patients and visitors to wear hospital-approved masks when they are in clinical offices, waiting areas and patient registration. The policy coincides with the respiratory virus season, when the spread of flu, RSV and COVID-19 rises.”
Mask mandates have also been issued across New Jersey, New York, and California.
Sonoma County, California, announced that it would implement a mask mandate for healthcare workers through April 30.
“Given the rising risk of respiratory virus-related illnesses, such as COVID and flu, Sonoma County’s Interim Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith has issued an order requiring health care personnel to mask when in patient care areas,” a press release said. “The health order will be in effect throughout the remaining respiratory virus season, from Nov. 18 through April 30.”
“Regardless of vaccination status, all personnel in patient care areas of health care facilities must wear a face mask through the duration of this order. Additionally, all businesses and governmental entities with health care delivery facilities must enforce this face mask requirement for all personnel entering patient care areas within the health care delivery facility,” the statement continued.
