Hospitals in two major American cities, New York City and Chicago, are reintroducing mandatory face mask policies for staff, patients, and visitors to curb the spread of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
In New York City, all 11 public hospitals and city-run nursing homes will reimplement compulsory face coverings, according to a WABC report. Meanwhile, in Chicago, facilities associated with the Rush University medical system are set to require masks for patients, as reported by WGN.
Dr. Ashwin Vasan, New York City’s health commissioner, highlighted the rising cases of COVID-19 and the flu, emphasizing the need for preventive measures. The latest data from the city’s health department reveals a 61% week-over-week increase in flu cases, with 8,400 reported during the week ending December 16. While this figure surpasses cases from 2019, 2020, and 2021, it remains lower than the nearly 18,000 cases recorded during the same week last year.
In Chicago, COVID-related hospitalizations increased by 13% during the week ending December 24, with 27 people hospitalized while infected. Despite a decline in confirmed COVID cases by 11% to 236 in the week leading up to Christmas, the city also reported a rise in flu-related ICU admissions from 20 to 26 during the week ending December 23.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted an uptick in COVID deaths and hospitalizations in the week leading up to Christmas. The reinstatement of face mask mandates aims to mitigate the spread of respiratory illnesses amid the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic.
