Changes in Masking Policies in US Healthcare Facilities in the First Quarter of 2023: Do COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations, or Local Political Preferences Predict Loosening Restrictions?
Introduction: In the first half of 2023, many US healthcare facilities updated their policies on the required use of face masks by patients and employees. Despite statewide lifts of mask mandates in healthcare settings, the decisions by individual healthcare facilities have remained controversial and inconsistent. We sought to understand these decisions by examining COVID–19 case rates,…
