Stormont Vail drops mask requirement for most people
Published: Oct. 6, 2022 at 6:01 PM CDT
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Stormont Vail Health announced on Thursday they will no longer require masks for patients, visitors, or team members.
This change comes as part of the recently updated guidelines from the CDC, which recently removed the recommendation of universal masking in healthcare settings, unless the facilities are in areas of high COVID-19 transmission.
Stormont said masks will still be required for individuals in healthcare settings under the following circumstances:
- A person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or respiratory infection. Team members are still expected to complete their minimum 5-day isolation period when testing positive for COVID-19.
- A person who has had close contact or high-risk exposure to someone with COVID must wear a mask for 10 days after exposure.
- Team members who work in a unit or location where there is an on-going and/or high rate of COVID-19 transmission as determined by Stormont Vail Health.
- Team members who are unvaccinated. This includes those with approved medical and religious/moral exemptions. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires us to have a process for ensuring the implementation of additional precautions, intended to mitigate the transmission and spread of COVID-19, for all staff who are not fully vaccinated. The continuation of masks for those who are not fully vaccination is in response to that requirement as well as to be in alignment with our Flu vaccination policy.
Stormont Vail noted that the changes above are in effect due to low community transmission rate. If the COVID-19 levels start to increase, Stormont Vail Health may re-implement stricter measures.
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