Experts Call for Continued Masking in Healthcare Settings

Public health experts argue that healthcare facilities should reconsider their approaches to masking and integrate it as part of routine healthcare policies to prioritize patient safety. While severe COVID-19 cases have decreased, severe outcomes and long-term ramifications still occur, particularly among vulnerable populations. The authors recommend various approaches for returning to masking, including year-round masking in healthcare spaces, targeted settings, specified months during respiratory viral seasons, and critical community burden thresholds. Regional healthcare organizations have implemented joint consensus policies to tailor masking protocols to their unique spaces. Experts suggest developing a formal risk-based approach to infection control, with masks playing a role. Some healthcare systems are encouraging mask-wearing in high-risk areas but have not mandated it. The situation remains fluid, with the potential for change due to new variants.