Community respiratory viral metrics to inform masking in healthcare settings: A regional consensus approach

Masking policies remain important in preventing infections, especially when the community respiratory viral burden increases.3 Acknowledging the importance of masking policies, the Northwest Healthcare Response Network, a regional healthcare coalition, in collaboration with public health agencies, convened a face-mask work group of healthcare facilities in Snohomish, King and Pierce County, the 3 most populous Washington counties. The work group established criteria using community respiratory viral activity published weekly by regional local public health departments to prompt activation of universal use of face masks in patient care areas. In addition to ED visit trends for COVID-19, influenza and RSV, the CDC COVID-19 hospital admission levels were also included as a criterion for activation of universal use of face masks in patient care areas.4 Although COVID-19 hospitalizations are likely a lagging indicator relative to ED visit trends, they were added to ensure consistency with the CDC recommendations for universal source control.10 Face masks are required by the time at least 1 pathogen reaches or exceeds the ED visit transmission alert threshold or if CDC COVID-19 hospital admission levels reached or exceeded 10 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population (7-day total) by county (“medium”), whichever occurs first.