By HFT Staff

A major association for infection prevention professionals recently urged its members to continue masking in patient care areas even though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has loosened its masking recommendations for healthcare workers.  

Despite CDC’s recent guidance shift that relaxes recommendations for universal healthcare personnel masking, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) strongly urges its 15,000 infection preventionist members to maintain mandatory mask requirement policies for healthcare employees in all patient care areas. 

“While APIC understands that many healthcare employees have grown weary of masking, we do not believe it is wise to discontinue this evidence-based, COVID-19 mitigation strategy, especially as we enter what is predicted to be a severe flu season, with COVID-19 surges looming on the horizon,” according to a press release from the group. “In addition, there is a seven-day lag in CDC COVID testing data, which may limit the ability to detect surges in real time. 

“As healthcare professionals, we are obligated to protect the vulnerable patients entrusted to our care. It is for this reason that we take annual flu shots, and stay up to date with other immunizations, including COVID-19. Requiring masks of anyone who enters a healthcare setting, including employees, helps to ensure the safest environment for our patients.”