Masks Still Required At SSM Health Facilities

From the SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton:

May 21, 2021

The recent news from the CDC that vaccinated individuals can move about most places without a face mask probably brought a literal sigh of relief from many uncovered faces. However, some people may have stopped reading the CDC guidelines after the first sentence.

In reality, masks are still required in hospitals and other health care facilities, and that includes SSM Health.

“Vaccinations are helping our country turn the corner on COVID-19, but we can’t let our guard down for a moment,” said Shephali Wulff, MD, system director of infectious diseases for SSM Health. “The virus doesn’t play by any rules, and we need to protect our patients, staff and visitors.”

In addition, there’s very little data available on how the various vaccines deal with variants of the virus. And, with children under 12 still not approved to receive a vaccine – in addition to adults reluctant to get a vaccine – the U.S. is nowhere close to reaching any type of herd immunity.

“We’re all looking forward to getting some semblance of ‘normal’ back into our lives,” Wulff said. “But health care facilities are not a place where we can take chances. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in keeping their neighbors safe.”

This press release was produced by the SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton. The views expressed are the author's own.