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Illinois health officials push for masks in health care facilities
The CDC says vaccination rates for Influenza, coronavirus and RSV are low and respiratory illness is on the rise. The Illinois Department of Public Health is urging all people in health care facilities to wear masks.
CHICAGO - RSV infections and COVID-19 hospitalizations are on the rise.
To protect people from infection, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is pushing for masks to be worn in health care facilities.
Just last Friday, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emailed an alert that respiratory illness activity is increasing across the U.S. and vaccination rates for COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV are low.
The CDC said millions of people are liable to get sick in the coming months.
The IDPH director held a press conference early Wednesday.
"While IDPH recommending masks is a step in the right direction, the pre-COVID Illinois Public Act allows for mask requirements to protect the lives of public health workers and patients, to prevent the surge in COVID, flu and RSV infections and hospitalizations from getting worse," PRN Chair Lonette Sims said.
Research indicates that coronavirus infections can lead to long-term health impacts.