HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Bon Secours, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Riverside, and Sentara have jointly supported removing masking requirements across all health care facilities, they said in a statement Monday.
"Health systems in Hampton Roads have closely monitored COVID-19 activity for the past three years across our communities, using scientific data and the highest safety standards to guide our decisions throughout the pandemic," they said in the statement. "Currently, health systems across the country are seeing a steady decrease in COVID-19, RSV, and flu patients - the three respiratory viruses that triggered a surge in emergency department visits and hospitalizations last fall."
The facilities say effective March 21 patients, visitors and team members will no longer be required to wear a mask at all times within their facilities.
Exceptions include patients who are seeking treatment for a respiratory illness such as the flu or COVID-19, and health care workers that have to continue to follow standard and transmission-based precautions during patient encounters.
Masks will still be available in the facilities for anyone who wants to wear one.
The facilities say they will continue to monitor Virginia's COVID-19 dashboard and respiratory illness activity within the Hampton Roads community.
