Once again, health care workers at Lowell General Hospital are donning masks.

The shift from optional to mandatory masking policy began today at LGH and is slated to begin January 3, 2024 across all other Tuft facilities. The mandate applies to “healthcare workers in all patient rooms, care spaces and when providing community based care.”

The increase in respiratory illness in Greater Lowell is cited as the reason for the policy change, which is in line with many other health institutions implementing similar policies.

When asked why the policy began today at LGH as opposed to next Wednesday, a spokesperson tells InsideLowell “Lowell General Hospital has recently experienced extremely high patient volumes at our inpatient campuses, and we are seeing an increase in respiratory illness activity in our community, including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV. This trend, along with review and evaluation of a number of critical local data elements including, but not limited to, staff absenteeism, patient infection rates, hospitalization numbers, as well as state and national data, including wastewater trends, have led us to shift to mandatory masking in all patient rooms and care spaces for all staff members beginning Friday, December 29, 2023 at 7:00 am.”

The new policy does not apply to patients or visitors at this time, though they are “strongly encouraged to wear a mask while they are on site.”