At Monadnock Community Hospital, all people entering the building are required to wear masks except when in private offices or eating, but in most everyday establishments, signs asking patrons to mask up are long-gone.
Vice President of Nursing Vicki Loughery explained that masks are nationally mandated in health care facilities. The hospital follows the most current CDC guidance, which recommends people “wear masks indoors when spacing is difficult and in public transportation.”
“Masks are optional to be worn by anyone anywhere,” she said, adding she believes “that optional recommendations are here to stay. I do not think we will go back to mandates.”
However, she hopes people will be responsible for themselves and those around them in community spaces.
Although many people have stopped wearing masks in their everyday lives, others have continued to wear masks in public spaces.
“All immunocompromised individuals should continue to protect themselves wearing masks in all open settings to minimize exposure,” she said.
Loughery emphasized that masks are effective in preventing airborne diseases.
“We know masks prevent the flu, as when masks were mandated we had a nominal flu season,” she added, “Proper masks and vaccination are the best defense against COVID.”
Some masks offer more protection than others. Cloth masks are the least-effective in blocking particles due to gaps in the woven material.
“Surgical loop masks are a good defense, with N95 or KN95 providing an even better defense,” Loughery said.
The hospital has seen a fair number of flu patients and increased COVID cases this winter, particularly after Thanksgiving gatherings.
“Currently our community level is medium,” Loughery said.
Most patients have not needed to be hospitalized.
“The virus is not the same as the Delta variant early on that caused so many deaths and ICU needs,” Loughery said, “The Omicron variant spreads easily, but responds well to early treatment. We have had to transfer very few to a higher level of care elsewhere.”
The hospital and local pharmacies have been distributing bivalent boosters, targeting the Omnicron strain, since September
“There should be no barrier in receiving the vaccine, yet the booster rates are very low, around 35 percent in our area, making a better case for utilizing masks in public places.”