BALTIMORE — Thursday Johns Hopkins Hospital announced it's joining LifeBridge Health and the University of Maryland Medical System, requiring masks for everyone going to its hospitals and doctors offices.
In December, Maryland’s department of public health wrote a letter to health care providers in December stating;
The combined virus associated hospitalization rate exceeded 10 hospitalizations for every 100 thousand people in a central area.
This means more and more people were coming into hospitals and other medical facilities seeking treatment for either COVID 19, the Flu or RSV.
“Those numbers were hit at the end of last year so because of that the health department started recommending all of the hospitals start putting in those universal precautions." says Dr. Miram Alexander
Many people already wearing their mask while visiting the hospital.
“They should have never stopped it you know ain’t nothing wrong with wearing a little mask you know to be on the safe side id rather be alive or dead or sick. I’ll wear this all day until I get home and I'll double up if I have to," says Michelle Richardson.
RELATED: Johns Hopkins Medicine reimposing mask requirements at all Maryland properties
I spoke with Dr. Alexander at Sinai Hospital who says in addition to wearing masks hospitals also recommend people take additional precautions.
“So we ask all visitors not to come if they have any signs of respiratory infections and we also ask all visitors to wear masks whenever they are visiting patients," says Dr. Alexander.
“Corona never left and there are other types of diseases out there. even of corona did leave its going to always come back and I’m one of the ones that never got vaccinated so I’m going to always wear my masks," says Miriam.
We asked Dr. Alexander if she thought bringing back masks in hospitals in the winter months would happen every year, and she said yes.
“We do believe we will always continue to see respiratory infections as we always have throughout the winter months," says Dr. Alexander.
The mask requirement goes into effect tomorrow.
The statement from Johns Hopkins said it is expected to be short term while respiratory illness rates are high.
The requirement will be adjusted as needed.
