Mercy Medical drops mask requirement for most patients

CEDAR RAPIDS — Mercy Medical Center announced masks will be optional for most patients, visitors and staff in non-patient care areas in all Mercy and MercyCare facilities, effective Monday, April 25.

In a news release Thursday, it cited lower levels of COVID-19 transmission in the area as the reason for the policy revision.

At some Mercy locations, the release said, patients may be asked to wear a mask while seeing a health care provider.

“We also recommend that any patient or guest who is not fully vaccinated or who may be immunocompromised still wear a mask while in our facilities,” it said.

Masks also are required for patients who are experiencing respiratory symptoms, have had a known COVID-19 exposure within the past two weeks or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days.

UnityPoint Health hospitals in Eastern Iowa, including UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, made masks optional for most patients, visitors and fully vaccinated staff members this past Monday.