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BACK ON TRACK. AND THIS WEEK, UNIVERSAL HEALTH IS EXPECTED TO LIFT THEIR UNIVERSAL MASKING REQUIREMENT. THAT MEANS MASKS WILL NOT HAVE TO BE WORN BY TEAM MEMBERS, PATIENTS OR VISITORS. AND ALSO THE MANDATORY COVID TESTING FOR ADMISSION AND PROCEDURES THAT’S GOING TO END. TESTING WILL ONLY NEED TO BE DONE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SHOWING ACTUAL COVID SYMPTOMS. AND OF COURSE, IF YOU WANT TO WEAR A MASK, YOU STILL CAN. BUT THE SAME CAN’T BE SAID FOR NORTON HEALTHCARE, WHICH HAS MADE THE DECISION TO REINSTATE THEIR MASKING POLICIES IN LOCAL HOSPITALS. THAT MEANS ALL EMPLOYEES, PATIENTS AND VISITORS WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK STARTING TOMORROW. NORTON IS CONTINUING TO EVALUATE LOCAL AND NATIONAL DATA FOR COVID CASES. RIGHT NO

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Norton reinstates mask mandate as UofL Health drops it. Why the difference?


WLKY Digital Team

Wearing masks in hospitals has become common practice since the COVID-19 outbreak.But without any further state mandates, entities have been making the rules independently, based on whatever factors or data sets they choose.It was particularly interesting this week when two of Louisville’s biggest hospital systems made opposite mask policy changes on the exact same day.UofL Health decided this week to drop its mask mandate for team members, patients and visitors. And that same day, Norton Hospital reinstated theirs.So if these choices are based on science and metrics, why such different approaches?For Norton, PR Manager Lynne Choate said they make their mask decision on the transmission rate in Jefferson County. They said, per the CDC website, the county is in the “red,” or highest level. See the data here.As for UofL, their approach seems a little more involved, or as they called it, “holistic.” Heather Fountaine said they’ve had consistently low patient numbers around town, and while the county is in the red, the transmission rate has declined.>> More health news”There has not been one single number/rate to point at and go off of, so we are taking a more holistic approach and looking at multiple numbers, how many of our staff/community is vaccinated, etc. and determined that they feel safe to lower the mask mandate,” Fountaine said.WLKY has also reached out to Baptist for clarification on their policy.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Wearing masks in hospitals has become common practice since the COVID-19 outbreak.

But without any further state mandates, entities have been making the rules independently, based on whatever factors or data sets they choose.

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It was particularly interesting this week when two of Louisville’s biggest hospital systems made opposite mask policy changes on the exact same day.

UofL Health decided this week to drop its mask mandate for team members, patients and visitors. And that same day, Norton Hospital reinstated theirs.

So if these choices are based on science and metrics, why such different approaches?

For Norton, PR Manager Lynne Choate said they make their mask decision on the transmission rate in Jefferson County. They said, per the CDC website, the county is in the “red,” or highest level. See the data here.

As for UofL, their approach seems a little more involved, or as they called it, “holistic.” Heather Fountaine said they’ve had consistently low patient numbers around town, and while the county is in the red, the transmission rate has declined.

>> More health news

“There has not been one single number/rate to point at and go off of, so we are taking a more holistic approach and looking at multiple numbers, how many of our staff/community is vaccinated, etc. and determined that they feel safe to lower the mask mandate,” Fountaine said.

WLKY has also reached out to Baptist for clarification on their policy.