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About Face: WVU Medicine relaxing masking policy

Citing a decline in viral activity, Camden Clark Memorial Hospital is among WVU Medicine facilities where mask requirements are being relaxed effective today. More reductions could come in March, but if activity increases in COVID, flu or RSV cases, there could be a return to more stringent restrictions, according to Albert Wright, WVU Health Systems president and CEO. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — WVU Medicine is relaxing mask requirements effective today.

With exceptions, employees, patients and visitors to WVU Medicine hospitals and clinics will not be required to wear masks, according to a message sent through the WVU Medicine network, The Wheeling Intelligencer reported. The change goes into effect today.

WVU Medicine hospitals are located in numerous cities in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio including Parkersburg, Ripley, Wheeling, Buckhannon, Morgantown, Ranson, Keyser, Princeton, Bridgeport, Berkeley, Charleston, Glen Dale, Gassaway, Summersville, Fairmont, Petersburg, New Martinsville, South Charleston, Uniontown, Pa., Oakland, Md., and Barnesville and Cadiz, Ohio.

“We have followed evidence-based practices throughout the pandemic to keep patients, our workforce and the community safe,” Steve Altmiller, president and CEO of Camden Clark Medical Center, said. “As COVID, RSV and flu prevalence continues to decline in our area and the Public Health Emergency is scheduled to end, we feel confident in relaxing our masking guidelines. We will continue to monitor the situation and make appropriate changes to this policy to ensure safety as the situation continues to evolve.”

More reductions could occur around the end of March if viral activity remains low, Albert Wright, WVU Health Systems president and CEO, said in the message. If cases increase, hospitals may return to stricter restrictions, he said.

Steve Altmiller, president and CEO of WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center (Photo Provided)

Exceptions include:

* Employees entering an occupied, inpatient room or a patient room in an emergency department at a hospital to care or provide support to a patient must wear a mask. An employee entering a vacant inpatient room to clean or service it does not need to be masked.

* Employees, visitors or patients exhibiting respiratory symptoms including, but not limited to, fever, cough, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat or shortness of breath must wear masks in all settings, both inpatient and outpatient, and in all public spaces. Symptomatic inpatients are not required to wear masks in their rooms.

* Vaccine-exempt employees are still required to use N95 masks, but only in areas where masking is required. For example, they are required to wear an N95 mask, instead of a surgical mask, when entering an inpatient room of a non-COVID patient.

* In crowded waiting areas and lobbies, such as in emergency department waiting areas, masks are strongly encouraged, but not required.

* Inpatients must wear masks when they leave their rooms unless the masks impede their care.

Providers and employees can continue to wear a mask if they wish to, WVU Medicine said.

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