Given the continued impact of COVID-19 on community health and on hospital staffing, Northwestern Medical Center will be maintaining the masking mandate in all patient care areas.

This is an important preventative measure to preserve NMC’s ability to care for our community. NMC will also maintain the active screening of patients and visitors at our entrances to further reduce the risk of transmission within the facility.

This decision comes after consultation between NMC’s Infection Control specialists and the hospital’s Senior Leadership team in follow up to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recent adaptation of guidance for hospitals in certain situations. While our “COVID Community Level” for our area is still technically “low,” transmission of COVID continues to be concerning given its ongoing disruption of staffing. NMC joins other area hospitals like those in the UVM Health Network and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in taking this approach.

We ask patients and visitors to continue following key steps to help keep themselves and our staff safe:

• Be vigilant in your masking while in the hospital. This includes wearing a mask in patient rooms.
• Use good hand hygiene through hand sanitizers or hand-washing.
• Do not visit patients if you are having COVID-19 symptoms or any other illness.

We will continue to monitor NMC’s situation, our community’s situation, and the State/National guidance and adapt as appropriate.