The Delaware Healthcare Association this week reminded the public that face coverings are still required in Delaware hospitals and many other health care settings across the state.

This practice is consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) continued recommendation of universal masking in health care settings.

“While Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are declining, protecting immunocompromised and severely ill patients from Covid-19 exposure continues to be a priority for Delaware hospitals,” said Wayne A. Smith, CEO of the Delaware Healthcare Association. “For the safety of our patients, and in line with CDC recommendations for universal masking in the health care setting, wearing a face mask continues to be required in Delaware hospitals. We encourage everyone to be kind and respectful to the health care workers enforcing these policies within the health care setting.”

Wearing a mask helps to reduce the spread of Covid-19, both for those who wear the mask and those who spend time around those who are masked.

Masking is an especially important mitigation tool since many people who have COVID-19, especially the omicron variant, do not have any symptoms and may not know they even have the virus and are spreading it to others, a release stated. That view has been attacked by politicians including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who chided students at a press event for wearing masks and later defended his remarks.

The reminder was issued after Delaware’s indoor mask mandate was lifted Feb. 11th, the CDC updated its masking guidance on February 25th and Delaware’s COVID-19 State of Emergency was lifted on March 1st. Delaware’s Public Health Emergency Order continues to be in effect.