The state where the first nursing home COVID-19 outbreak was confirmed is ending its COVID-19 masking order. Washington is the latest among a number of states that will no longer require masking in healthcare facilities, including skilled nursing settings.
The masking requirement will be rescinded on April 3 for people aged five years and older in these settings and in adult correctional facilities, according to a Friday announcement by the state’s Department of Health.
States with LTC mask requirements
A number of states and territories have discontinued their mask requirements. But others have kept the rules in place in long-term care and other healthcare settings, according to an AARP report updated March 6. These include Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina and Puerto Rico. Colorado requires staff and visitors in long-term care facilities to mask up at times of high community transmission. In California, a mask order that includes long-term care facilities is scheduled to end April 3, AARP reported.
Officials in Washington said they made their decision in light of a continuing decline in rates of respiratory viruses since the end of 2022, including COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza, and a parallel decline in hospitalizations.
Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, called out nursing home staff in an appreciation for a job well done during tough pandemic times.
Thanks to LTC staff
“Masks have been — and will continue to be — an important tool, along with vaccinations, to keep people healthy and safe,” Shah said. “We are thankful for our health and long-term care providers, staff members, patients and all Washingtonians for following the important public health measures put in place during the pandemic to protect one another.”
Washington’s DOH infection prevention and control guidance recommends that patients, healthcare providers and visitors in healthcare settings continue to mask. Employees and contractors who wish to use face masks or other personal protective equipment on the job are protected by state labor laws against employer retaliation.
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