Mask Mandate Returns At NJ Hospitals

Mask mandates are back this winter at some New Jersey hospitals to help stop the spread of winter viruses.

"Respiratory virus season is here," stated Hackensack Meridian Health, which has 17 hospitals across the state.

Hackensack Meridian Health implemented a mask mandate for anyone visiting an admitted patient at any of their facilities, effective Dec. 1.

RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group, which has 14 hospitals throughout the Garden State, also implemented a mask rule as of Dec. 1.

"In response to an increase in key viral benchmarks across RWJBarnabas Health and the region, and in support of the total wellbeing of our communities, patients, and colleagues, RWJBarnabas Health has implemented the following masking protocols at all system locations," stated RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group.

The mask rules at RWJBarnabas apply to physicians, providers, staff, patients, visitors, volunteers, and vendors.

"We will remain vigilant in monitoring benchmarks and may adjust policies accordingly to ensure the safety of our workforce and communities," stated RWJBarnabas.

The New Jersey Department of Health(NJDOH) continues to encourage residents to get their COVID-19 and flu vaccines.

"Vaccines continue to be our best defense at reducing severe illness or hospitalization from COVID-19 and the flu," said NJDOH Acting Commissioner Jeff Brown.

The latest data from the CDC, last updated on Dec. 1, shows that acute respiratory illness rates overall are low in New Jersey.

As of Nov. 22, 0.9 percent of residents went to an emergency room for influenza in New Jersey. The number of emergency room visits for influenza tends to grow in December until it spikes in February. Last February, 9.7 percent of residents went to an emergency room for influenza in New Jersey.

The CDC uses data from emergency department visits to model epidemic trends. The epidemic trend for COVID-19 has not changed as emergency room visits remain very low.
While emergency room visits remain low for influenza and RSV, both are seeing a growing epidemic trend.

Nationwide, acute respiratory illnesses remain at low or very low levels, according to the CDC; however, emergency room visits for RSV are increasing in many states in the South and Southeast.

COVID-19 activity remains low, and seasonal flu activity is low nationally but increasing, according to the surveillance report.

Wastewater surveillance reports from 20 monitoring sites will provide a clearer picture of COVID, flu and RSV rates in New Jersey when the data is updated Friday.

On Nov. 29, it showed the viral activity for COVID, flu, and RSV remains very low.