Don’t Change Policies Yet on Masking Inside Your Facility

By A.J. Plunkett

Don’t change your policies on masking inside your hospital or other healthcare facilities anytime soon.

The CDC’s recent new guidance to the general public that fully vaccinated people do not have to wear masks indoors does not apply to healthcare settings, warns the American Hospital Association (AHA).

The AHA says it reached out to the CDC in an email asking the federal agency to clarify its May 13 guidance on masking recommendations to protect against COVID-19.

“CDC said health care facilities should continue to refer to CDC’s infection prevention and control guidance for recommendations regarding source control and physical distancing in health care settings,” according to the announcement by the AHA. The CDC said it would alert the AHA and others if and when there were changes to guidance for healthcare settings.

“This means that staff, patients, residents and visitors should continue to wear masks as recommended in all healthcare facilities,” the agency told the AHA.

It should be noted that the new guidance from the CDC made clear that the new requirements on physical distancing did not apply “where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.”