In response to the advancement of respiratory illnesses across western Washington, UW Health and UnityPoint Health-Meriter have announced they will be bracing themselves against possible infections by reinstating mask mandates in clinical environments. Beginning Tuesday, the healthcare facilities will necessitate the use of face coverings for both staff, patients, and visitors in walkthrough areas inclusive of waiting rooms, scheduling sections, and examination spaces. This decision has been catalyzed by the resurgence of COVID-19, influenza (flu), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) within Dane County, a frequent public health narrative during this part of the year.
UW Health’s medical director of infection prevention, Dr. Dan Shirley, paints a bleak picture of the escalating health burden with emergency hospital admissions due to respiratory conditions experiencing a continual climb parallel to the surge of COVID-19 episodes that require hospital treatment. However, the application of the mask mandate remains selective with places like cafeterias, lobbies, lifts, and administrative regions at UW doctors and Meriter exempt from the policy. The request for the donning of masks in patient spaces, procedural chambers, high-risk sectors such as transplant clinics, the Carbone Cancer Center, primary care facilities, and emergency departments was already in circulation amongst providers, personnel, patients, and guests.
Dr. Joseph McBride of Meriter argues that collective adherence to these measures can significantly cut down on potential health hazards, infections requiring treatment, and as a result, hospitalization and grim patient outcomes. Although referred owner hospitals like the SSM Health’s St. Mary’s Hospital in Wisconsin remain untouched by the new mask requirements, they are on high alert, scanning the swiftly transforming health scenario, says spokesperson Kim Sveum. Public Health Madison and Dane County’s respiratory dashboard highlights the towering flu and RSV incidences amidst low COVID-19 cases.
However, rising traces of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, in the wastewater, has caused heightened public health apprehension statewide, a concern mirrored in Madison as well, according to information from the state Department of Health Services. As of December 9, around 10% of flu, COVID-19, and RSV tests statewide returned a positive result, indicating a moderate flu-like illness spread, as per a respiratory virus report from DHS. Compared to the 559 patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 the same time last year, on Sunday, Wisconsin Hospital Association reported 390 patients currently hospitalized with the viral infection, thus reflecting 18 fewer admissions than the previous week but 13 more than the preceding day.