Published: April 5, 2023
LANSING, MI – Sparrow is revising its requirements for wearing face masks on the heels of the continual decrease in COVID cases, high levels of immunity, and the availability of effective treatments.
Effective immediately, caregivers, patients, and visitors will no longer be required to wear a mask in public areas of our facilities, including hallways, cafeterias, and most waiting areas, in alignment with Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) standards.
Patients and visitors will be required to wear a mask when visiting patients, seeking medical care for respiratory symptoms and/or COVID, including fever, new cough, or rash, or when someone in their home has COVID. Masks will continue to be available throughout our facilities for anyone who chooses to wear one.
Sparrow caregivers will also be required to mask up when providing direct patient care or when experiencing respiratory-like symptoms. All caregivers will continue to have the option to wear an N95 if they prefer a higher level of protection.
Sparrow has been a leader in COVID care in Michigan since the pandemic began in March 2020 and is among the first health systems in the state to ease masking requirements.
“The easing of the mask mandate marks a historical milestone,” said Paul Entler, D.O., Sparrow Health System Chief Clinical Officer. “For the past three years, our region has endured much heartache, stress, loss of loved ones, and isolation. I am proud to be part of the Mid-Michigan community and what we stand for with better days ahead. The easing of mask requirements symbolizes recovery.”
For the past three years, Sparrow has been at the forefront in protecting our patients, visitors, and caregivers from the spread of COVID during the pandemic. Along with a strict visitor policy and masking mandate, in March 2020 Sparrow was one of the first hospitals in Michigan to offer COVID tests to inpatients and has performed more than 915,000 PRC COVID-19 tests. Federal statistics show the number of COVID cases reported daily in the United States has dropped by 92% since the peak of the Omicron surge in January 2022. COVID deaths have also declined by over 80%, while new COVID-19 hospitalizations are down nearly 80%.
Sparrow is proud to be Mid-Michigan’s leader in COVID care and will continue to monitor COVID to protect the health of our community.
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Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier health care organization that includes hospitals in Lansing, Charlotte, St. Johns, Ionia and Carson City as well as Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, the Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan Medicine through the Sparrow Children’s Center and with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of our 10,000 Caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and Patient experience. For more information, visit Sparrow.org.
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