Mask Mandates Reinstated in Washington Hospitals Amid Surge in RSV Cases
Hospitals in western Washington have implemented masking updates due to a surge in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases. RSV causes inflammation of the upper airway and can lead to breathing difficulties, particularly in infants and babies in the NICU. The season for RSV typically lasts from November to April. To prevent transmission, it is important to stay home if sick, keep sick children at home, cover coughs and sneezes, and wash hands frequently. Vaccines and antibody treatments are available for prevention and treatment. Hospitals will require masking in patient care areas if certain threshold metrics for COVID-19, influenza, or RSV are met, with mandatory masking lifted in areas that go two weeks without meeting the metrics.