Northwell Health drops mask-wearing mandates for patients, staff, visitors

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Northwell Health drops mask-wearing mandates for patients, staff, visitors
Northwell Health's masking requirements were dropped last week. (Photo courtesy of metrocreativeconnection.com)

Northwell Health dropped most of the mask-wearing requirements for staff, patients and hospital visitors on Wednesday.

While the three groups are still required to wear protective face coverings when interacting with a patient suspected or confirmed of having a viral respiratory infection, the main guidelines in place for nearly three years have been lifted, according to a statement from the organization.

Northwell’s announcement follows new guidelines from the state Department of Health in February that allowed healthcare entities to develop mask-wearing procedures with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Should COVID-19 rates spike, Northwell officials said, the traditional mask-wearing policies will be reinstated.

“This month marks the third anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and lifting the mask mandate reflects an important milestone in our fight against this deadly disease,” Northwell said in the statement.

Long Island’s COVID-19 rates are listed as “moderate” by the CDC, with 44 people testing positive for the virus in Nassau County on Monday, the most up-to-date figures reported by the state’s Department of Health.

The 11042 ZIP code of New Hyde Park, as of Tuesday, had the second-lowest primary vaccination series in Nassau County, according to statistics from the state’s Department of Health. That area consists primarily of businesses south of Northern State Parkway and along Marcus Avenue.

The next lowest rate on the North Shore is the 76.2% in the 11024 ZIP code of the Great Neck peninsula, which includes the Village of Kings Point. The next lowest one is also in Great Neck, with the 11023 ZIP code at an 81.7% rate, according to the figures. This area incorporates parts of the villages of Great Neck and Saddle Rock, along with Great Neck Gardens and Harbor Hills.

The statistics also show rates of 100% in Great Neck’s 11020 zip cod, 96.3% in Roslyn, 94% in Albertson, 93.9% in New Hyde Park’s 11040 ZIP code, 93.5% in Williston Park, 93.3% in Mineola, 92.5% in Port Washington, 90.1% in Roslyn Heights, 88.9% in Great Neck’s 11021 ZIP code, 86.7% in Manhasset and 84.5% in Floral Park.

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