Major health systems across Wisconsin, with the exception of UW Health, make masks optional
Two more Wisconsin health systems ―Aurora Health Care and Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) ― made masking optional under most circumstances as of Monday.
In addition, Froedtert Health updated its policy to make masks optional in some settings April 10, though masking remains required in hospital patient rooms and care spaces, and in emergency department patient rooms and care spaces.
At Aurora, masking is still required for visitors of patients who are in transmission-based isolation, including those who are COVID-positive, and requirements "may apply" in oncology and transplant units. Providers also will be required to wear masks if a patient requests it.
"These changes, which follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, are a response to consistently low COVID transmission rates, the end of the respiratory viral season and the expiration of the COVID public health emergency," spokeswoman Brittany Lewis said.
Froedtert and HSHS said masks still will be required for anyone who has COVID-like symptoms. HSHS also requires masks for people who were exposed to COVID-19 in the last 10 days, regardless of symptoms.
HSHS and Aurora noted that they could reinstate a mask requirement if there are future surges in respiratory illness.
The decisions come in the wake of similar announcements by hospital systems elsewhere in Wisconsin and the region.
Advocate health locations in Illinois, which are part of the same health system as Aurora in Wisconsin, announced the end of its mask requirements late last month. So did SSM Health locations in Madison and other areas of south-central Wisconsin. Green Bay-based Prevea Health, with which HSHS hospitals are partnered, announced its health centers would stop requiring masks Feb. 22.
Others in Wisconsin, such as UW Health, still have a mask requirement.
"At this time, there are no changes to the COVID-19 policies at UW Health facilities, including masking policies, but we continue to monitor the improving trends related to the spread of COVID-19 in our communities and could adjust policies in the future," Sara Benzel, a UW Health spokeswoman, said.
Most of Wisconsin's counties, 63, are at a low COVID-19 community risk level as of April 14. The remaining nine are at medium risk. Also as of April 14, the state's seven-day average for confirmed cases was 324, and the state's seven-day average test positivity rate was 9%. The seven-day average for deaths was three.
Contact Devi Shastri at 414-224-2193 or DAShastri@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @DeviShastri.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Almost all Wisconsin health systems now making masks optional
