'Wear Your Mask': Ohio, National Hospital Systems Urge Safety

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals — and 98 other top U.S. health care systems — issued an urgent plea to Americans this week: "Wear your mask."

The coalition of 100 hospital systems came together to run a public service message in some of the nation's top publications including The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and others. The message tells Americans to mask up because it's the best and easiest way to slow the surge of COVID-19.

Since the start of the pandemic, the hospitals note, more than 11.5 million Americans have tested positive for the virus, including 1 million new cases in the past week. Nearly 250,000 Americans have died because of COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released studies showing masks can successfully limit the spread of COVID-19. "Wearing facemasks protect in key ways: by protecting the wearer against inhalation of harmful pathogens and particulates and by preventing exposure of those around the wearer," the hospital systems said.

"The country has reached a tipping point. The power to do what is right is now in the hands of everyone everywhere," the hospitals said.

The full public service message is below:

"As the top nationally-ranked hospitals, we know it's tough that we all need to do our part and keep wearing masks. But, here's what we also know: The science has not changed. Masks slow the spread of COVID-19. So, please join us as we all embrace this simple ask: Wear. Care. Share with #MaskUp. Together, wearing is caring. And together, we are saving lives."

Besides the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, the following U.S. hospital systems signed onto the message: the Mayo Clinic, the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Johns Hopkins, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, Nationwide Children's Hospital and dozens of others.