Effective immediately, masking with approved hospital-provided earloop masks is required at all times for staff, veterans, and visitors while in the high-risk areas | va chicago health care | veterans affairs

The incidence of COVID-19 is slowly rising in our populations of outpatients, inpatients, and staff. The incidence of COVID-19 is slowly rising in our populations of outpatients, inpatients,

and staff. Additionally, COVID-19 wastewater monitoring throughout the Chicagoland area is increasing in every watershed area, indicating that the incidence of COVID throughout our

catchment area is increasing. As a result of this evidence of increasing COVID activity in our area, and with the knowledge that the fall/winter influenza season is nearing, we will now

require additional masking in specific high risk areas. Effective immediately, masking with approved hospital-provided earloop masks is required at all times for staff, Veterans, and

visitors while in the high-risk areas listed below: • Dialysis • Infusion Clinic • ED • All inpatient units – 4W, 5E, 5W, 6E, 6W, 7E, 7W • Residential units – 9N, 9S Patients on inpatient

and residential units should wear masks whenever they are in public areas, but are not required to wear a mask while in their own rooms. Masking also continues to be required: • for those

with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection or other viral respiratory infections; • for VA staff during clinical encounters when requested by a Veteran, caregiver or family member