Face masks were key in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. At this time, cases of severe illness from the virus are less likely due to widespread availability of vaccines and less severe variants, so we’ve updated our face mask policies accordingly.
Effective April 10, 2023, pandemic-related masking will be optional in most CHoR facilities.
It’s important to note that patients who are immunocompromised are still at high risk when it comes to COVID and other respiratory illnesses. For this reason, wearing a face mask continues to be required in some specific clinical areas.
Take a look at this chart for the updated mask policy in each CHoR building/area
|
Location |
Masking policy |
|
Children’s Pavilion
Children’s Pavilion
|
Optional for patients, families and team members
Required for patients/families and team members
|
|
Therapy centers |
Optional for patients, families and team members |
|
Community outpatient clinics |
Optional for patients, families and team members |
|
Brook Road Pavilion
Brook Road Pavilion
|
Optional for patients, families and team members
Required for families and team members
|
|
Main Hospital, 7th Floor – Acute care and pediatric intensive care |
Optional for patients, families and team members* |
|
Critical Care Hospital, 6th Floor – NICU |
Optional for patients, families and team members* |
|
Critical Care Hospital, Ground Floor – Children’s Emergency |
Required for patients, families and team members |
|
Virginia Treatment Center for Children |
Required for patients, families and team members |
|
Beginning April 30 Children’s Tower
Children’s Tower
|
Optional for patients/families and team members
Required for patients/families and team members |
*Required when team members provide direct patient care
Though we hope the most severe impacts of COVID-19 are behind us, our masking policy may change in the future due to regulatory obligations and or/changes in respiratory viruses.
Stay up to date on COVID vaccines
To fully protect against COVID-19, medical experts recommend getting the vaccine and follow-up booster shots. According to data from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), 6,340,516 Virginians have been fully vaccinated as of early April, accounting for about 74% of the state's population.