Hospitals nationwide are reimposing COVID-19 mask mandates due to the prevalence of the JN.1 variant.
In states like California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington D.C., divisive rules mandating masks for specific individuals in medical settings have been reinstated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a 10.4 percent increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the week leading up to December 16, with a corresponding 3.4 percent rise in coronavirus-related deaths.
Mask mandates, controversial since their introduction during the 2020 pandemic, continue to be recommended by medical professionals and the CDC.
Currently, no state enforces mandatory masks in all indoor and outdoor settings.
Massachusetts’ largest health system, Mass General Brigham, has announced that starting January 2, masks will be required for healthcare staff directly engaging with patients in clinical-care settings until respiratory illnesses drop below a specified percentage.
Patients and visitors are strongly encouraged to wear masks, provided by the hospital, and certain exemptions apply to staff in hallways and common areas.
Mass General Brigham’s policy is contingent on the percentage of patients exhibiting respiratory illness symptoms, activating the mandatory masking rule when surpassing 2.85 percent for two consecutive weeks and lifting it once the rate falls below the same percentage for a week.
