UMass Memorial to require masks for employees starting Tuesday, encourage visitor masking

WORCESTER — As rates of respiratory illness increase throughout the state including COVID-19, UMass Memorial Medical Center will be temporarily requiring masks for employees during every patient encounter and in common areas starting Tuesday.

According to a statement from Dr. Andrew Karson, president of UMass Memorial Medical Group, patients and visitors will also be strongly encouraged to wear masks when they enter a UMass Memorial building, especially if they have symptoms of a respiratory illness.

Employees can also ask visitors to wear a mask if they show respiratory symptoms.

The changes are expected to last for about a month and will be reevaluated based on trends, Karson said.

New COVID-19 cases have risen in the state since Thanksgiving, according to state data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also tracked the rise in RSV and the flu in the U.S.

Several Massachusetts hospitals have re-imposed mask requirements or plan to. Beth Israel Lahey, Boston Medical Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have already brought back mask requirements, according to GBH News. Mass General Brigham is scheduled to also re-impose masks Tuesday and Tufts Medicine Wednesday.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: UMass Memorial to require masks for employees, encourage visitor masks