Certain locations reintroduce mask mandates as U.S. COVID

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Aug. 24 (UPI) — As COVID-19 cases continue to rise due to variant EG.5, hospitals, universities, and businesses in the United States are implementing new mask mandates.

California’s Kaiser Permanente, New Jersey’s Rutgers University, and Georgia’s Morris Brown College have all issued new mask mandates in response to the increasing cases. Read more.

“To ensure the health and safety of our patients, workforce, and community, we have reintroduced a mask mandate for physicians, staff, patients, members, and visitors in the hospital and medical offices in the Santa Rosa Service Area,” stated Kaiser.

Upstate Medical hospitals in Syracuse, N.Y., have also implemented mandatory masking for all staff, visitors, and patients in clinical areas of University Hospital and Community General, according to a memo sent to staff.

The mask mandate is in response to an increase in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.

“There is an upward trend of COVID-associated hospitalizations in our community,” said Dr. Stephen Thomas, Upstate’s director of global health. “We are prepared to care for all our patients.”

Morris Brown College stated, “There will be no parties or large student events on campus for the next two weeks.”

Georgia has experienced a 30% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to CDC data.

The college is enforcing mask-wearing and physical distancing for all students and staff.

Hollywood film studio Lionsgate has also reinstated its mask mandate in response to the rise in infections.

While COVID-19 cases are increasing, hospital admission rates remain relatively low, as reported by the CDC.

The EG.5 variant is responsible for the majority of new COVID-19 infections nationwide due to a mutation.

The CDC recommends high-risk individuals, including older people, those with certain medical conditions, and pregnant people, to wear masks. It also advises mask-wearing in areas with a hospitalization rate of 20 or more people per 100,000.

“Hospitalizations have not yet doubled, but the risk of infection is higher now compared to a month or two ago,” said Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the University of San Francisco medical department. “It’s time to wear masks again if you’re trying to be careful.”

Dr. Wachter also mentioned that COVID-19 levels in wastewater, an early indicator of increased infections, have doubled.

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