Hospitals across New York, California, Illinois, and Massachusetts are reinstating mask mandates in response to a surge in Covid-19, seasonal flu, and other respiratory illnesses. This move affects healthcare facilities including New York City’s 11 public hospitals, 30 health centers, and five long-term care facilities.
Dr. Ashwin Vasan, New York City Health Commissioner, emphasized the importance of these mandates to avoid staffing shortages, recalling the challenges faced during the 2022 omicron wave. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates a worrying trend, with over 29,000 Covid hospitalizations and approximately 14,700 flu hospitalizations in the week of December 17-23.
The reinstatement of mask mandates revives a contentious issue from the height of the pandemic, which saw political and cultural clashes over mask-wearing and vaccine mandates. The Supreme Court previously struck down President Joe Biden’s federal vaccine-or-test mandate, and a mask mandate on public transportation was also overturned.
The Covid pandemic has resulted in over 1.1 million deaths in the United States, a higher rate than many other wealthy countries. The reintroduction of mask mandates in healthcare facilities like Rush University medical system in Chicago and Berkshire Health Systems in Massachusetts aims to mitigate the spread of these illnesses. In California, Los Angeles County has also mandated masks in all licensed health care facilities.