"North Carolina Hospitals Reinstate Mask Mandates Amid Surge in Flu and Respiratory Illnesses"
In response to a rise in respiratory illnesses, hospitals in the Triangle area of North Carolina, including UNC Health, WakeMed, and Duke Health, are implementing new policies such as restricting young visitors, requiring masks during patient care, and limiting patients to two visitors at a time. Cape Fear Valley Health is mandating masks for all patients and visitors. These measures are part of a broader trend across at least six states where hospitals have reinstated masking policies due to an increase in respiratory virus cases, including COVID-19 and flu.