Mercy, St. Luke’s reinstate mask rules for Cedar Rapids hospitals

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Cedar Rapids hospitals are reinstating mask mandates amid a spike in COVID-19, RSV and flu cases.

Universal masking resumed Monday for visitors, patient families, volunteers and staff at Mercy Medical Center and MercyCare facilities.

“Mercy has temporarily returned to these precautions for the safety of hospitalized patients and the community,” a Monday news release said. “The changes will remain in place as we continue to monitor local rates of infection.”

From Oct. 4 to Sunday, Mercy policy allowed those who were asymptomatic and not exposed to COVID-19 for at least 10 days to be in common areas, clinics and other facilities without masks. Staff continued to wear masks in patient rooms, exam rooms and other areas of direct patient care.

Universal masking resumed Dec. 9 at UnityPoint Health- St. Luke’s Hospital, regardless of vaccination status.

“All who enter our facilities must wear a surgical mask,” policy states.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal masking in health care facilities located in areas of high community transmission.

COVID-19 cases in Iowa were up for a sixth consecutive week as of Wednesday, when 3,704 new weekly cases were reported. That’s a 6.8 percent increase over the previous week’s total.

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