I'm fairly sure the mask mandate for hospitals is still there. And if it isn't, I would be very shocked if any hospital in DC didn't independently have their own mask mandate. The one I work at still requires masks, and even every doctor's office I've been in lately still requires them.

Yes at Medstar!

Yes.

Every doctor, specialist, etc I’ve been to so far is requiring them.

I’m doing my yearly round of checkups so that’s 4 offices so far.

Kaiser does.

Dunno if they’re mandated, but every doctor/dental office I've been to since this all began has required them (including my appointments this calendar year). They also usually have them available for patients who don’t bring their own.

UMD facilities have dropped mask requirements (or will be soon).

My primary care doc and my dentist still require them. The vet I take my cats to (in Maryland) also does as well.

Every health care facility I’ve been to in the last two months has required them. Even Labcorp.

Ours are optional for patients.

Kaiser, at least the northern MD part, is also making them optional for patients as well.

There's no across-the-board rule, but I think most doctors offices have you do it. When I went to my eye doctor, it was required and they really meant it; everyone in the waiting room was masked.

I was just at my ENT yesterday and they don’t require it although my doctor, audiologist, myself and most other patients were wearing them.

this is changing at the end of April in Maryland iirc.

Good.

I have absolutely no problems wearing a mask at a doctor's office, it's just annoying when they ask you to take it off for some reason (check your throat, etc.) but then snap at you if you don't put it back on fast enough or talk while the mask is off.

I went to a Kaiser doctor a couple of weeks ago and was surprised to see he was wearing three masks (two surgical and one N95) and a face shield. None of my business and I could care less, but I haven't seen anyone with that level of protection in like two years.

CDC dropped the mask mandate in healthcare settings last fall but left it up to individual health entities. Most, especially with those treating high-risk populations left them in place.

Link here

Any place that requires a mask will provide one for you.

My dermatologist mentioned that with non-stop use of N95 mask, her skin is fully hydrated.

She had to stop using moisturizer!

>he was wearing three masks (two surgical and one N95) and a face shield.

Could make sense if he was high risk I guess, or was going to do a high-risk procedure on you.

I just enjoyed not getting upper respiratory infections from patients over the last three years. Will probably keep wearing N95s from the start to end of the winter.

It was just a visit to get a Tret RX lol

Again, it didn't bother me and is none of my business, I just found it interesting...I assumed he was likely high-risk.

Agree though, I masked all throughout winter and didn't get sick once. Will probably do so again this winter.

Yes, but DC Health can set its own guidelines.

Children's National earlier this month did.

It’s still there. Wonder if it will be dropped once pandemic emergency expires in May. But still in force.

My husband runs a group of medical practices. Masks will be part of the healthcare experience for years to come. It’s annoying but an important protection.

From trying to navigate DC Health's website, there hasn't been an update on their healthcare facility mask guidelines since 2021?

You sound like you care more than you’re claiming to… lol

They just announced they're lifting the mandate starting April 10th.

Welp

Mine too. I've been to 3 offices in the past month.

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It’s not mandated by governments most places but is an office rule instead. Many doctors lived through seeing what Covid can do to people up close and personal. They also work with high risk folks all the time and are constantly seeing people who are sick.

Many offices I went to pre Covid asked people to wear a mask if they had flu like symptoms. This feels like an evolution of that and also one that makes sense. Keeps you and your patients safe.

Well human touch and interaction are a part of the healing process for patients. Pandemic protocols changed that dramatically.

In addition to masking, other Covid related costs are no longer being subsidized by the government so healthcare organizations will be making those decisions over the next couple of months or so.

None of this is impacted by someone wearing a mask for personal safety. Masks have always been a part of healthcare and is usually encouraged even outside of Covid. We were told to wear them on the ambulance pre Covid for patients with certain symptoms.