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Coronavirus Latest: UMMS Announces Universal Masking Policy At All Facilities

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The University of Maryland Medical System is implementing a universal masking policy for all 13 System hospitals and other UMMS health care facilities starting April 6.

Every person within a UMMS acute care or ambulatory facility to wear a face mask at all times.

"The fight against the COVID-19 pandemic is happening on multiple fronts, and our mission to provide high-quality, compassionate and safe patient care and to ensure the safety of our workforce has never been as demanding or as important as it is right now," said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of University of Maryland Medical System.

She added that because of the asymptomatic community spread, they are shifting to this policy out of an abundance of caution to prevent infection.

CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: 

UMMS staff members are getting the appropriate masks to support the new policy, UMMS said in a press release Monday.

Non-medical or cloth masks are allowed when walking through the facility, and when staff are within six feet of any non-PUI patient, a medical mask will be required.

Hospitals across the state have changed their policies on visitors and taken other precautionary measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus. UMMS changed its policies back in early March, restricting who and how many people can visit a patient at one time.

Health officials are now recommending all Americans wear masks to stop the spread, leading people to making their own masks to keep certain specific masks available for health care providers.

For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.

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