Marshfield Clinic Health System will no longer require patients and staff to wear masks under most circumstances beginning April 17.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently announced it is planning for the federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 to expire May 11.
The Health System says it continually monitors state and regional COVID-19 trends, including rates of hospitalizations and community transmission, to determine if policies can be adjusted.
In mid-March, the Health System lifted all visitor restrictions and removed COVID-19 testing requirements on hospital admissions and preoperative surgical cases.
People may still choose to wear masks.
The Health System will support their choice to wear one and staff will wear a mask if requested.
Departments that serve immunocompromised or specialty patients will return to pre-COVID policy and procedures for masking.
Departments and medical procedures that wear masks as part of its normal practice, such as during surgeries, will continue to do so.
Masks are encouraged for patients with symptoms consistent with a COVID-19 infection, a COVID-19 exposure or other infectious respiratory illnesses.
The Health System will continue to monitor COVID-19 activity to determine if guidelines need to be put back in place.
