Masks have returned to the Hudson Valley, and some places are making them mandatory again.

If you have been out and about in the Hudson Valley lately you may have noticed something you probably hoped you would never see again. Thanks to an already vicious cold and flu season, more and more people have gone back to wearing hospital masks when interacting with the public.

 

While most of these masks are being worn voluntarily, there are some businesses that are making it mandatory for those who have chosen not to vaccinate.

Why Masks Are Returning

Health officials say flu, RSV and COVID cases are all rising sharply across New York. NBC New York reports that the week after Thanksgiving brought one of the steepest jumps in flu cases since before the pandemic. There were fourteen thousand five hundred six confirmed cases statewide that week, which was an increase of about eighty percent from the week before. Hospitalizations have also climbed, with doctors reporting a steady stream of RSV and COVID patients on top of all the flu cases.

All of that activity has pushed many health care facilities to tighten rules again. Instead of a blanket policy that hits everyone, the requirement is now aimed at people who skipped their recommended vaccines or boosters. Hospitals say it is an easier way to protect vulnerable patients during the height of respiratory virus season.

How Mask Mandates Are Working

No, the days of masks being required everywhere have not returned, at least not yet. The updated policies have mostly been put in place at hospitals, nursing homes and other medical settings. If you are fully vaccinated, you may still see signs suggesting you put a mask on, but in most places it is not mandatory.

If you are unvaccinated, you are more likely to be asked to wear one while inside a health care facility. Officials say this targeted approach makes the most sense during a busy virus season that is affecting everything from school nurses’ offices to emergency rooms.

What’s Happening At Hudson Valley Hospitals

So far, there have not been any public announcements from local hospitals about a full return to masking. NewYork-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital, Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Northern Dutchess Hospital and Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall have all recently updated visitor pages, but none are posting strict universal mask mandates at this time.

Most of the local hospital’s mask policies are aimed at employees at healthcare facilities who have not been vaccinated and visitors who are showing symptoms of sickness.

Visitors will find masks available at the doors of most facilities and staff will most likely ask you to wear one if you have symptoms. Some hospital areas also have the option to require masks for everyone visiting specific departments.

If you are headed to visit someone at the hospital, you may want to check the current policy on their website, as things may quickly change if the cold, flu and COVID season continues to be brutal as we head into winter.

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