Eastern Shore Times

Hampton Roads health systems will no longer require masking in all healthcare facilities

Health systems in Hampton Roads have closely monitored COVID-19 activity for the past three years across our communities, using scientific data and the highest safety standards to guide our decisions throughout the pandemic. Currently, health systems across the country are seeing a steady decrease in COVID-19, RSV, and flu patients - the three respiratory viruses that triggered a surge in emergency department visits and hospitalizations last fall. 

Together, Bon Secours, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare, Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters Health System, Riverside Health System and Sentara Healthcare, jointly support removing masking requirements across our healthcare facilities.

Effective tomorrow March 21, 2023, patients, visitors, and team members will no longer be required to wear a mask at all times within our healthcare facilities. Exceptions include:

• Patients who are seeking treatment for a viral illness such as COVID-19 or the flu should continue to wear a mask to prevent spreading the virus to others. 
• Healthcare workers treating patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 must still wear the appropriate level of personal protective equipment (PPE) required.
• For Riverside Health System, Lifelong Health Senior Living Facilities will continue to follow regulations and operate according to the local community transmission level if not in outbreak status. 

All healthcare professionals will continue to follow infection prevention protocols. Health systems will continue to monitor Virginia’s COVID-19 patient dashboard and respiratory illness activity within our communities.

While we continue to evolve our COVID-19 policies, our priority remains the safety of our team members, patients, and community. Masks will continue to be an important tool, along with vaccinations, to keep people healthy and safe. Masks will still be available to patients and visitors who enter our facilities. Additionally, our healthcare colleagues can still wear a mask if they choose to do so. 

We are grateful to our healthcare colleagues, patients, and visitors for their cooperation in following important public health measures during the pandemic to protect one another.

Original source can be found here