New Masking Guidelines for Staff and Patients

In light of upcoming changes to federal and state guidance surrounding the response to COVID-19, Valley will be adjusting some of our COVID-related policies and procedures, starting with a change to masking guidelines for our staff and patients.

On April 3, the Washington State Department of Health ended the statewide requirement for universal masking in healthcare facilities. The Northwest Healthcare Response Network released a statement last week, stating, “…our organizations will continue to require masking in patient care areas and strongly recommend or require in public spaces.” The statement was shared and supported by Public Health – Seattle & King County, which “continues to recommend masks for patients, healthcare providers, and visitors in healthcare settings.” We know many of you have had questions. Valley will align with other healthcare organizations across our region and continue to require masking for staff and patients in patient care settings, but we will be adjusting our policy, with details below.

Valley Staff Masking Requirements

Effective Wednesday, March 29, Valley is implementing a temporary masking policy, while we continue to monitor outside guidelines and the transmission of COVID-19 and establish permanent guidance. The masking requirements for staff in our interim masking policy include:

1. Respirators are no longer required for all aerosol generating procedures. Respirators continue to be strongly recommended, in addition to other personal protective equipment (PPE), to prevent the acquisition and transmission of COVID and other respiratory viruses during these procedures. Respirators, in addition to other PPE, continue to be required for the care of all patients with known or suspected COVID-19. Respirators will continue to be provided to staff who choose to use them.
2. Physical distancing and masking are no longer required in break rooms, team rooms, multi-person offices, conference rooms, and similar rooms isolated from patient care spaces by a door or away from patient care spaces. Using a medical-grade mask or respirator in those spaces continues to be strongly recommended.
3. Medical-grade masks or respirators continue to be required in all patient care spaces, public spaces (hallways, elevators, and cafeterias) and during all patient care and visitor interactions. Please ensure you have a medical-grade mask or respirator on when entering and leaving patient care buildings. Masks may also be required by Employee Health following a high-risk exposure or recent COVID-19 infection.

All healthcare workers are advised but not required to wear the highest level of respiratory protection that they can tolerate as they may encounter people with asymptomatic COVID or other respiratory infections. Valley will continue to provide medical-grade masks and respirators to staff. There is no change to current policy for all employees who are not vaccinated and are working with an approved accommodation.

Valley’s guidelines for staff and patients are in line with the practices being adopted at healthcare organizations across the Puget Sound region, from Thurston to Snohomish and Clallam counties. The organizations following similar practices include: UW Medicine, MultiCare, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, EvergreenHealth, Overlake, Seattle Children’s and Kaiser Permanente.

Valley Patient and Visitor Masking Requirements

In line with other healthcare facilities in our region, Valley will continue to require patients and visitors wear medical-grade masks in all patient care areas in our hospital and clinics. Masking is required when they enter any department, and includes all waiting rooms and clinic/department lobbies. Valley will strongly recommend masking for patients and visitors in all other areas that don’t include patient care areas, such as cafeterias, hallways and elevators. Physical distancing will no longer be required. Please respect people’s choices in wearing or not wearing masks, so far as they align with our current policy.

Valley will be communicating these requirements to the public across multiple channels in the coming weeks. For talking points on how to address masking with patients and visitors in our hospitals and clinics, click here.

More COVID-Related Changes Expected

The changes in masking guidance come about a month before the federal government’s public health emergency for COVID-19 is set to end, on May 11. This will bring additional changes to our policies and response to COVID-19. Discussions are underway about what this will look like, and you can expect to see more communication around our COVID response in the near future. If you have questions, we ask you to escalate them through your leaders or email Command_Center@valleymed.org. As questions come up, we will continue to put out updated guidance and information.

We are grateful to each of you for all that you have done to carry Valley through the past three years, during a time that will be remembered in our history books. Thank you for your resilience and for never losing sight of caring for our community like family.