Effective immediately, masking with approved hospital-provided earloop masks is required at all times for staff, Veterans, and visitors while in the high-risk areas

The incidence of COVID-19 is slowly rising in our populations of outpatients, inpatients, and staff. Additionally, COVID-19 wastewater monitoring throughout the Chicagoland area is increasing in every watershed area, indicating that the incidence of COVID throughout our catchment area is increasing. As a result of this evidence of increasing COVID activity in our area, and with the knowledge that the fall/winter influenza season is nearing, we will now require additional masking in specific high risk areas.
Effective immediately, masking with approved hospital-provided earloop masks is required at all times for staff, Veterans, and visitors while in the high-risk areas listed below:
• Dialysis
• Infusion Clinic
• ED
• All inpatient units – 4W, 5E, 5W, 6E, 6W, 7E, 7W
• Residential units – 9N, 9S
Patients on inpatient and residential units should wear masks whenever they are in public areas, but are not required to wear a mask while in their own rooms.
Masking also continues to be required:
• for those with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection or other viral respiratory infections;
• for VA staff during clinical encounters when requested by a Veteran, caregiver or family member