During a virtual press conference on Monday, the Massachusetts Coalition for Health Equity called on hospitals and healthcare providers to reintroduce universal mask mandates during the upcoming holiday season in order to protect against COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. The coalition, which was formed during the pandemic with the goal of safeguarding individuals who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, emphasized that masks are an important tool in preventing the spread of these illnesses.
Several hospitals had lifted their mask mandates after the public health emergency ended in May. However, with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and variants across the country, many experts believe that masks should be reinstated to help curb the spread of these illnesses.
The coalition’s advocacy comes as some states have already reinstated mask mandates in certain settings such as schools and public transportation. Meanwhile, others continue to debate whether or not masks should be mandatory indoors.
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