baltimore — Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will fully reinstate mask requirements at its facilities, the hospital system announced Thursday.
Policy updates will take effect on January 12th.
Due to the rise in hospitalizations due to COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, all Johns Hopkins School of Medicine locations across Maryland are requiring patients, visitors, and employees, regardless of vaccination status, to Wearing a mask is mandatory.
“We expect this requirement to remain in effect in the short term while the incidence of influenza-like illnesses is high,” Johns Hopkins University said in a statement.
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine said the change was based on a recommendation from the Maryland Department of Health.
The agency said Maryland’s statewide hospitalization rate for COVID-19, influenza and RSV infections combined exceeded 10 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents as of late December. They shared data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the state Department of Health, the hospitalization rate for the week ending Dec. 16 was 11.4 people.
The health department’s website states that if the total weekly respiratory virus-related hospitalization rate falls below 10 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks, facility-wide mask-wearing may be suspended. It suggests that there is.
Earlier this week, LifeBridge Health and the University of Maryland Health System
Restored masking at that medical facility.
Mercy Medical Center and MedStar confirmed that medical facilities still “strongly recommend” the use of masks.