Modern Healthcare.
The Centers for Disease Control has changed its position on mandatory masking in health care settings, no longer recommending that it be universal.
It’s a “major departure” from the CDC’s previous recommendation of universal masking to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hill says.
“Updates were made to reflect the high levels of vaccine-and infection-induced immunity and the availability of effective treatments and prevention tools,”
Even if masking is not universally required, if a provider works in a part of the facility experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, or if they care for immunocompromised patients, they should wear a mask.
When transmission levels are high, masking is recommended for everyone in a health care setting when they are in areas of the health care facility where they could encounter patients.
Providers can choose not to wear masks when they are in “well-defined areas” that are restricted from patient access, like staff meeting rooms.