County wide the numbers of positive cases are going down slowly but even in Wickenburg we continue to see isolated positive cases of COVID-19.
Due to the continued presence of COVID-19 being identified in the county, as well as our community, the requirement for masking at the hospital and clinics is an effective and important measure to help combat the spread of infection to our staff or other patients or visitors. Healthcare environments are highly important to protect, as these are places where immunosuppressed patients/visitors need to be able to safely receive care with as little risk as possible for the spread of infection. Masking is an effective way to keep our hospitals and clinics healthy, which in turn, helps to keep the community healthy.
According to the American Hospital Association (AHA)
- Patients and visitors in patient care areas (at the hospital and/or clinics), common waiting rooms or are being transported through common hallways for diagnostic procedures will be required to wear masks.
* A PATIENT CARE ENVIRONMENT is defined as: Any location where patients directly interact with team members in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory clinics, surgical centers, infusion centers, Physical Therapy/Rehab centers, outpatient labs, imaging centers and health clinics. This includes common waiting room spaces.
Patients who are unable to wear a mask should notify their service provider ahead of their appointment time to make arrangements for avoidance of the public waiting areas so they may be escorted directly to a private exam or procedure area.
When wearing a mask please note these two important ways to make sure your mask works the best it can: 1) Make sure your mask fits snugly against your face. Gaps can let air with respiratory droplets leak in and out around the edges of the mask 2) Pick a mask with layers to keep your respiratory droplets in and others’ out. A mask with layers will stop more respiratory droplets getting inside your mask or escaping from your mask if you are sick.
Thank you for supporting your local healthcare facilities in reducing the spread of illness.