(Spirit Lake)– Masks will no longer be required at Lakes Regional Healthcare effective this coming Wednesday, October 12th.
LRH President and CEO Jason Harrington says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated guidance regarding masking to prevent the spread of COVID-19. He says that was one of the primary reasons for the change, along with decreased transmission rates, improved vaccination rates, increased natural immunity and lower hospitalization rates.
Harrington adds they’ll continue to assess the matter every two weeks to determine if masking will be required periodically. He says that will depend upon community transmission rates, the number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital, employee absences due to Covid and the number of positive tests in the hospital’s Emergency Department and Lakes Regional Family Medicine.
Even though they will no longer be required, patients and visitors will still be encouraged to wear masks.
