Uptick in COVID-19, other respiratory illnesses has hospitals tightening mask policies

FRAMINGHAM — Citing an uptick in various respiratory illnesses — including COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the flu — MetroWest Medical Center has implemented a policy in which face masks are required by all visitors and staff while in clinical and outpatient areas.

In addition, masks are strongly encouraged for patients, according to Shawn Middleton, the hospital's communications and public relations manager.

UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester recently implemented a new masking policy that requires employees to wear masks during every patient encounter and in common areas, and strongly encourages patients and visitors to wear them when they enter UMass Memorial buildings.

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Several other Massachusetts hospitals have also recently implemented masking requirements. Beth Israel Lahey, Boston Medical Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have brought back masking requirements, according to GBH News. And as of Tuesday, Mass General Brigham instituted a new policy in which patient care team members and other staff will wear facility-issued face masksduring "direct interactions with patients in patient rooms and other clinical care areas where direct care is provided."

At UMass Memorial's Marlborough location, masks are strongly encouraged — but not required — for patients and visitors, as of Tuesday. Masks are required for staff, specifically those who are treating patients with respiratory illnesses, according to Vice President Marketing and Communications Ellen Carlucci.

Similarly, Milford Regional Medical Center is also strongly encouraging its patients and visitors to wear a facility-issued face mask when interacting with health care personnel, according to its website. All health care personnel at the hospital are required to wear a facility-issued mask when in direct interaction with patients in clinical care locations.

Milford Regional updated its policies last week after monitoring several trends, including the number of employees out of work with COVID-19; the number of inpatients with COVID-19; the percentage of positive tests in the community for COVID-19; and wastewater COVID-19 data.

Respiratory illnesses on the rise in Massachusetts

According to the state, the percentage of emergency department visits related to respiratory illnesses has been on the rise. Last week, 16.7% of emergency department visits were due to acute respiratory disease, which is defined as a patient visit that includes either a diagnosis code for a specific infection, such as the flu or COVID-19, or general respiratory symptoms such as cough or pneumonia.

About 3% of emergency department visits were due to COVID-19, an uptick from the roughly 1% in late October to early November.

New COVID-19 cases have risen throughout the state since Thanksgiving, according to the state. From Dec. 17-23, there were 4,811 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,227 probable COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts, according to the state's data dashboard. Data is updated every Thursday.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Area hospitals tightening face mask policies with more infections