As COVID-19 hospitalizations increase and the highly mutated JN.1 variant becomes more prevalent, several hospitals across the United States have reinstated mask mandates. This measure has been adopted in numerous states, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington D.C., particularly in medical settings to counter the spread of the virus. The resurgence of mask mandates comes as the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control recorded a significant increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths related to the virus.
Health experts, such as Dr. Robert Murphy, a professor of medicine at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, have suggested that these mandates might extend to long-term care facilities and assisted living spaces due to the efficacy of masks in preventing disease transmission, especially among vulnerable populations. Dr. Murphy, in his interview with Time, recommended regular mask requirements in public health settings during the annual respiratory season, typically from December to February, to protect the most vulnerable individuals in places like hospitals.