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Mask Mandates are Back
Beginning on Monday, October 2, all patients, employees, and visitors will be required to wear masks.
All Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health hospitals and sites, including Community Medical Center in Toms River, have reinstated the mask requirement.
"RWJBarnabas Health announces it will implement masking protocols at all RWJBarnabas Health hospitals and facilities starting October 2, 2023," spokesperson Heather Dickerson stated on Friday. "This is in response to the steady increase in respiratory illness and COVID-19 hospitalizations across the state."
When entering a RWJBarnabas Health facility, visitors are required to wear a mask, conduct a COVID-19 risk assessment before entering, wash their hands both before and after entering, and maintain appropriate social distance.
Hackensack Meridian Health, which started ordering all patients, visitors, and staff at four of its hospitals to wear masks last week, welcomes RWJBarnabas to the group.
According to RWJBarnabas Health, the following masking recommendations must be followed in order to lower the risk of infection for caregivers, patients, and staff:
Inpatients: All inpatients, who are able to, will be required to wear a face mask when leaving their room and can also choose to wear a mask at any time.
Outpatients: Face masks must be worn at all times when at an RWJBarnabas Health facility.
Staff: Face masks must be worn when providing direct care to patients at all RWJBarnabas Health locations. All staff can also choose to wear a mask at any time.
Visitors, volunteers, and vendors: Face masks must be worn at all times when in the presence of patients at all RWJBarnabas Health facilities.
RWJBarnabas Health is encouraging all employees and patients six months of age and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even if it is not required.