Decision Based on Steady Decline in Positive Cases
Kerrville, TX – Based on the current transmission rates these past few weeks and with the steady decline of positive COVID cases and hospitalizations since mid-February, effective today, March 11th, Peterson Health has lifted the mandatory mask requirement.
For the past two years, Peterson Health employees, patients, vendors, and visitors have diligently followed set protocol and CDC guidelines for healthcare systems throughout the organization.
Shares Cory Edmondson, President and CEO of Peterson Health, “We are seeing a rapid decline in positive cases and hospitalizations for the first time in nearly two years and are feeling a great sense of hope and relief. Our staff has diligently worn masks for the safety of our patients, the community, and each other because it was is the right thing to do. They have stood strong on the frontline these long and challenging months and have never wavered from providing exceptional, compassionate, patient-centered care. We feel justified in the steady and stable decline that we can lift this requirement. I’ve always said that we have been smiling behind the mask, but I cannot wait for us to smile without the mask!”
However, as Peterson Health lifts the universal masking, they will continue to follow all transmission based isolation practice. This means appropriate PPE will be donned when entering designated rooms and for those entering non-isolation patient rooms.
Staff will continue to screen and test for COVID upon admission and screen patients or visitors at the front entrance of the hospital and Ambulatory Care Center. Patients who are positive will be placed in the appropriate transmission based on isolation. Transmission based precautions will also be applied to visitors wishing to see a patient that has been placed on isolation precautions.
Peterson Health will remain vigilant and should conditions or rates of transmission rise or hospitalizations increase again, the mask requirement may be reinstated.