Masking Requirement Updated for Hospital Staff

11/15/2022

Western Arizona Regional Medical Center has reinstated face masking requirements for hospital employees due to the community’s current levels of respiratory illnesses. This requirement does not apply to most hospital visitors.

“We are seeing increased numbers of patients with serious cases of influenza, children with RSV, and our admissions of COVID-positive patients are rapidly increasing,” said Kirsten Ferren, WARMC’s chief nursing officer.

With patient safety as WARMC’s first priority, and to prevent an increase in employee illnesses, staff will resume masking in all areas of the hospital. Visitors will not be asked to mask, unless they are visiting a patient with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or other contagious illness. Visitors may always choose to wear masks at their own discretion.

“We understand this is not a popular policy, but our need to protect our patients, staff and community is more important than our comfort,” Ferren said. “Hospitals all around us, including those in Phoenix and Las Vegas, are filling or are already filled to capacity with respiratory patients.”

Ferren also reminds the community to be mindful of their own health conditions, and stay at home if they are experiencing symptoms of flu or upper respiratory viruses to prevent continued spread.

Per the CDC guidelines, mask requirements are dependent on the community transmission level of COVID-19. At this time, the community transmission level is “High.”

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