PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon healthcare settings, including hospitals and doctors’ offices, will no longer impose mask requirements for workers, patients or visitors starting next month.
In a release on Friday, the Oregon Health Authority announced the mask mandate, which has been in place since August 2021, will end on April 3.
According to Dean Sidelinger, health officer and epidemiologist at OHA, recent data shows a drop in the number of COVID-19, RSV and influenza cases. Current data shows COVID-19 test positivity at 10%, influenza test positivity at 1.2% and RSV test positivity at 1.6% per antigen test and 3.5% per molecular test.
In the weeks leading up to the mandate’s end, OHA says healthcare workers should be adjusting policies, training and procedures to ensure everyone is kept safe. OHA noted that this is the time for individuals at increased risk of severe disease to make healthcare appointments and take protective measures.
Sidelinger spoke at a press event Friday about the decision to lift the mask requirement.
He shared that the decision to provide a buffer month before the requirement is lifted was to allow healthcare facilities to decide if they would like to keep some sort of mask policy.
“This announcement is going to change mask-wearing across all types of healthcare facilities, so we wanted to give our healthcare partners some time to look at what they would like to do,” Sidelinger said. “Would they like to keep this requirement in place because of the patients they serve or the type of care that they give, so that they have time to make that decision and talk it through.”
Health officials continue to urge anyone that is sick to continue wearing masks to minimize others’ exposure.