The following message was sent to YNHHS employees, and YSM clinical faculty and staff, on Wednesday, Aug. 21:
Dear Colleagues:
Our Infection Prevention team has been tracking illness due to respiratory viruses, including COVID, closely. In keeping with our masking standard operating procedures and in response to an increase in respiratory virus activity during the past two months, we recommend, but do not require, the use of masks for all.
We also would like to remind you that if you are sick, please stay home, and consider getting tested for COVID. And, for our patients presenting with an acute respiratory illness in the ambulatory and emergency areas, we require their use of a mask, if possible.
Infection Prevention will continue to track respiratory virus activity and, if significant increases are seen or anticipated, our next step will be to require the use of masks by all staff when interacting with patients/families.
This respiratory season, we will use the following levels as we communicate mask use changes:
- Level 0: Masking optional
- Level 1: Mask use recommended
- Level 2: Mask use required for staff when interacting with patients
- Level 3: Mask use required for all, patients and staff
With any level change, we will use multiple communication channels to ensure our employees and patients clearly understand the expectations around masking.
We kindly ask that all our staff take steps to keep themselves healthy. Your overall health and wellbeing are of paramount importance, especially as you care for your families and our patients. They need you and we need you too.
Warmly,
Thomas Balcezak, MD, MPH
Executive Vice President and
Chief Clinical Officer
Yale New Haven Health
Margaret McGovern, MD, PhD
Executive Vice President and
Chief Physician Executive
Yale New Haven Health
Chief Executive Officer, Yale Medicine