Baptist Memorial Health Care has updated the processes and procedures related to masking. In response to the expiration of the public health emergency and recent changes in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 guidelines for health care workers, Baptist staff, providers and visitors are no longer required to wear masks for source control (universal masking) except in areas serving or housing high-risk patients.
“Patients who are immune suppressed, like cancer patients or those with organ transplants, may have a more significant infection with COVID, so it’s important to continue for a bit longer to protect these patients in our health care settings by wearing a mask when we’re around them,” said Dr. Stephen Threlkeld, Baptist Memorial Health Care’s medical director for Infectious Diseases.
High-risk patient populations where masking is required include oncology, pulmonary, infectious disease, transplant, myelosuppression and the newborn ICU. Small entities with mixed areas will require universal masking during contact with high-risk patients. This applies to all inpatient and outpatient areas.
Masking is still required for all team members with COVID-19 vaccine exemptions.
All isolation precautions, per CDC guidelines, will be observed.
Thank you for keeping our patients, and one another, safe.
