Masking is back some places. What's happening at your local hospital
MILTON – With the peak season for illnesses like COVID-19 and the flu now underway, some local hospitals are requiring staff to mask up and encouraging patients and visitors to do the same.
Beth Israel Lahey Health, which includes Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth and Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, is requiring staff to mask. South Shore Health, which owns South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, is not.
Beth Israel has been monitoring metrics related to respiratory viruses since the state’s COVID-19 public health emergency ended last May, said Sharon Wright, chief infection prevention officer for Beth Israel Lahey Health. These metrics help hospital officials make decisions about preventive measures, like masking.
"Based on recent changes in these metrics, as of Dec. 18th, we have updated our masking policies to require masking for all health care personnel upon entry to a patient room or bedspace," Wright said in a statement. "Masking is not required for patients or visitors, though encouraged. We continue to monitor metrics and will make additional changes as needed."
South Shore Health has not made any changes to its masking policies as cases of respiratory illnesses tick up, while others have trended down recently.
"Masking remains optional for patients, visitors and colleagues at our facilities, except in certain clinical situations and at our locations where cancer care is offered. Masks are readily available in our facilities for anyone’s use, and we strongly encourage those who want to mask to do so," a statement from the health system says.
Health systems across the state, country bring back masking
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted mask mandates for health care settings in September 2022, but Massachusetts kept its requirement in place for health care facilities until May 2023. Many health care facilities then stopped requiring visitors and patients to wear masks.
Mass. General Brigham, the state's largest health system, is requiring staff dealing with patients to wear masks. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reinstated its masking requirement in December.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows more than two dozens states are reporting "high" or "very high" levels of respiratory illness, including Massachusetts. This is measured by the number of people visiting a doctor's office or hospital with respiratory complaints such as sore throat, fever or cough.
New dashboard tracks respiratory illness in the state
The state Department of Public Health last fall launched a refreshed dashboard to track trends in COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial syndrome, or RSV.
Last week, about 18% of emergency department visits at hospitals across the state were due to acute respiratory disease, such as the flu or COVID-19, or general respiratory symptoms such as cough or pneumonia.
Based on the dashboard, about 18% emergency department visits to hospitals in Plymouth County were related to acute respiratory disease between Dec. 24 and 30. In Norfolk County, respiratory illnesses account for about 19% of visits.
The state reported 4,790 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 44 deaths in the week from Dec. 24-30. Statewide, about 3.5% of emergency department visits were due to COVID-19.
Confirmed COVID-19 case in each South Shore community from Dec. 17-30
Braintree: 71
Canton: 24
Cohasset: 5
Duxbury: 24
Hanover: 16
Hingham: 37
Hull: 14
Marshfield: 38
Milton: 24
Norwell: 14
Pembroke: 25
Plymouth: 127
Quincy: 108
Randolph: 45
Rockland: 34
Scituate: 25
Weymouth: 84
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Beth Israel hospitals mandating masks. Is South Shore Hospital?
