Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Between outbreaks of influenza and norovirus to begin the new year, Boston area hospitals have opted to bring back employee masking.
Data from the Wastewater Scan Dashboard and the Boston Public Health Commission showed a rise in respiratory symptoms and viruses in the area.
Mass General Brigham and Tufts Medicine have required their staff to wear masks while treating patients.
Tufts Medicine said in a statement that this policy is “in response to an increase of respiratory virus circulation in the community.”
Tufts added that this policy was designed to protect the health of compromised patients- following recommendations from both the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Tufts own commitment to health and safety.
Mass General Brigham said in a statement that the decision to require masks was based on “the percentage of patients presenting at emergency rooms and outpatient facilities with respiratory illnesses exceeding 2.85 % in the region.”
MGH said that they consulted data from the Centers for Disease Control’s Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network to determine their level of response.
WBZ NewsRadio caught up with travelers at Logan Airport on Friday to see how they were taking precautions.
“Lots of people are sick, and I’m traveling to elderly people, and I’m just trying to do whatever I can,” one passenger said.
Dave and his wife Jane from Maine said that they are done taking any more chances after catching COVID twice over the past year.
“We’ve traveled twice this year and both times got COVID after we got home,” Jane said.
Hospital officials are urging patients and visitors to wear a mask inside the facilities.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.