CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — More hospitals in the Chicago area are requiring visitors and employees to wear masks, with Rush University Medical Center being the latest to institute some form of mask mandate.
While COVID and RSV are concerns, Rush infectious disease specialist Dr. David Nguyen said “the flu is actually what we’re really worried about.”
In an interview with the Sun-Times, Nguyen noted that masking and social distancing seemed to cause what he called “a remarkable interruption” in flu and RSV during the pandemic.
Between early December 2023 and the weekend before Christmas, though, data from the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) showed that the number of flu patients admitted to Chicago intensive care units more than doubled.
Rush’s new policy, announced Tuesday, will require visitors and workers to wear hospital-approved face coverings in settings such as waiting areas and patient rooms.
Cook County Health facilities have also begun requiring masks.
Northwestern Memorial and the University of Chicago Medical Center are requiring masks for people showing symptoms of illness. Masks were strongly recommended for others.
Masks remain optional at Loyola Medicine facilities.
The moves came as more than half of Illinois counties — including Cook and DuPage Counties — were at a medium or high level of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
“We are most concerned with health care facilities in counties with elevated respiratory virus transmission and hospitalization levels and recommend masking in patient-care areas, especially in emergency departments and areas caring for patients who are immunocompromised,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
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