LifeBridge Health reinstating masking with COVID, flu, RSV hospitalizations on the rise in Maryland
BALTIMORE -- Doctors say flu, COVID and RSV are to blame for the rise in respiratory-related hospitalizations in Maryland.
The Maryland Department of Health says that the combined COVID, flu and RSV weekly hospitalization rate exceeds 10 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data through December 21 showed the Maryland combined hospitalization rate for the week ending on December 16 was 11.4, in large part due to increasing COVID and flu infections, the state health department reports.
Beginning next week, LifeBridge Health will require masking again in patient care areas.
This new policy comes at the recommendation of the Maryland Department of Health.
Other hospital systems in the state told WJZ that are not mandating masking.
"Those are places that have a really high density of people who are susceptible to severe respiratory illness," said Dr. Andrew Pekosz, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Pekosz says we're better now than we were last year when it comes to respiratory illnesses. However, it's unclear when we'll hit our peak of COVID, flu and RSV.
"With all these viruses, as soon as you start to feel ill, you can start to spread the virus," Pekosz said. "So, it's always good just to take a step back."
Dr. Ashlee Williams, a primary care physician with Kaiser Permanente, says they are busy with patients suffering from upper respiratory infections.
"We're seeing lots of upper respiratory infections come in," Williams said. "We're seeing Influenza A. We're also seeing COVID. COVID has not left."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one contributing factor to the rise in illnesses is people haven't kept up with vaccinations.
Fewer than 50% of adults are vaccinated for the flu, and even fewer for COVID.
"We'd like to see the flu numbers a little bit higher," Pekosz said. "We'd like to see the COVID vaccine numbers significantly higher."
Doctors say the research shows the vaccines on the market are effective against current strains.
"We know every season we have different strains of the flu virus," Williams said. "We know the COVID virus is continuing to mutate, so we want to make sure we're up-to-date with the most current vaccinations."
Thirty-one states, including Maryland, are reporting high or very high levels of various respiratory illnesses.
Most hospitals are recommending masking at this point.
The University of Maryland Medical System does mandate masks in certain situations, especially around high-risk patients or when someone exhibits symptoms.
"It's OK to still wear a mask," Williams said. "You know, we were really pushing it at the beginning of the pandemic because we knew it helped prevent the spread of the virus. But, wearing masks can really continue to help keep you safe."
The state health department recommends implementing broad facility-wide source control in all patient care areas and patient-facing healthcare settings, including outpatient and long-term care, universal masking in all patient care areas and patient-facing healthcare settings:
- Vaccinate eligible patients and healthcare workers against COVID, influenza, and RSV
- Treat with antivirals early and when appropriate
- Test and isolate infected individuals quickly
- Use Personal Protective Equipment appropriately
- Identify and adhere to standard, contact, droplet, and airborne precautions
- Optimize ventilation in your facility.
These measures can be discontinued once the combined weekly respiratory virus-associated hospitalization rate has been below 10 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks, according to Maryland's health department.