Mask Requirement Back At Boston Hospital For 'Foreseeable Future'

BOSTON — One Boston hospital is requiring that all staff, patients and visitors mask up once again "for the foreseeable future" amid a rise in respiratory illnesses in the region.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reinstated the mask mandate this week along with requiring that anyone experiencing any type of cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms contact their doctor's office before entering the building. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, muscle aches, loss of smell or taste and shortness of breath.

The renewed mask mandate is due to increased hospitalizations and staff absences because of COVID-19, as well as RSV and influenza.

The hospital said masks and hygiene stations will be available at all entrances and that issued masks may be worn over personal masks. It must cover the nose and mouth at all times.

"We will continue to monitor levels of respiratory illness in the community and adjust our policy when appropriate," the hospital said in its guidance. "We check a number of different data points, including rates of influenza-like illness, staff absenteeism and emergency room visits and hospitalizations caused by respiratory viruses.

"We will lift the mask requirement when these data points remain consistently lower."

All visitors to the hospital will need to use its prescreen app before entering the building and visitors will be limited to two at a time per patient.