UPMC Reinstates Mask Mandates As Respiratory Illnesses Surge across US

Starting February 12, face masks will be required in all UPMC hospitals and outpatient facilities. The mandate applies to patients, visitors, support personnel, and staff in clinical areas. This move makes Pennsylvania at least the ninth state where hospitals have reintroduced masking policies.

"UPMC is seeing an increase in cases of respiratory viruses, including COVID, influenza, and RSV," the health system said in a statement on Monday. "To protect the health and safety of our employees, patients, and visitors, everyone in our healthcare facilities will wear effective masks, which reduce transmission of respiratory viruses in healthcare settings."

The statement added that UPMC would continue to monitor infection trends and adjust policies accordingly.

Rising Respiratory Virus Cases and Hospitalizations

Respiratory infections, particularly flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are increasing in multiple states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about a dozen states, including Pennsylvania, are experiencing "very high" levels of respiratory illness.

Nationwide, hospitals in 12 states have recently reintroduced mask mandates and visitor restrictions as the viral season intensifies. However, mask policies remain contentious, with research showing mixed results regarding their effectiveness in preventing transmission.

UPMC, a $28 billion healthcare system headquartered in Pittsburgh, operates more than 40 hospitals and 800 outpatient centers across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and New York. It is ranked among the top hospitals in the country and employs approximately 100,000 people. The system handles about 350,000 admissions annually, 6.7 million outpatient visits, and 1 million emergency room visits. It also performs 270,000 surgeries and conducts 500,000 home care visits each year.

According to the CDC, emergency department visits for influenza are "very high," RSV cases remain moderate, and COVID-19 cases are low. The positivity rate for flu tests increased to 32% in the past week, while positivity for COVID-19 and RSV declined to 5% and 7%, respectively. However, wastewater surveillance shows high levels of COVID-19, moderate RSV activity, and very high flu prevalence.

Severe Cases Overwhelming Hospitals

In some states, hospitals are reaching capacity due to the influx of respiratory illness cases.

In Utah, Taryn Bennion brought her two-year-old daughter, Penelope, to a local hospital after the child developed severe symptoms from simultaneous RSV and COVID-19 infections. The hospital was at full capacity and lacked the necessary pediatric intensive care resources.

Doctors arranged for Penelope to be airlifted to Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital in Lehi, Utah, where she was intubated. RSV is particularly dangerous for children under two, and the combination of RSV and COVID-19 can lead to severe respiratory complications.

"Many hospitals that are adult hospitals with pediatric units do not have pediatric intensivists," said Dr. Nathan Money, a pediatric hospitalist at Intermountain Primary Children's. "They can support children with respiratory diseases to a certain degree, but intensive care requires specialized equipment and staff."

Penelope remained intubated for two days but has since improved. However, doctors warn that similar cases could arise as infections spread.

Concerns Over Bird Flu and Influenza A Subtyping

Health officials are also urging hospitals to increase testing for influenza A, including the H5N1 strain of bird flu, amid concerns about human-to-human transmission.

On February 3, New York’s health department issued an alert advising physicians to test all hospitalized patients with influenza A for H5N1 within 24 hours of admission. Minnesota released a similar advisory in late January, urging expedited testing.

Experts believe these warnings reflect rising concerns that the virus could mutate and spread more easily between humans.

Fears of a flu pandemic have been growing due to the worst outbreak of bird flu in nearly 30 years. Data shows that 7.75% of emergency department visits in the week leading up to February 1 were due to flu-like illnesses, the highest rate recorded for this time of year since CDC tracking began in 1997.

New York recently shut down live poultry markets in three boroughs for deep cleaning after detecting bird flu cases. So far, no human infections have been reported in the state.

Dr. Aaron Glatt, an epidemiologist at Mount Sinai, said his hospital is seeing an unprecedented surge in flu cases.

"We see a lot of flu A. According to the CDC, this is the worst flu season ever," Glatt told DailyMail.com. "That's also my own experience—it's the worst I've seen in my career."

CDC estimates suggest that, so far this season, more than 24 million Americans have contracted the flu, with 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths.

Ongoing Mask Mandates and School Closures

With cases rising, hospitals in at least nine states—including Minnesota, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, California, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, and New York—have reinstated mask mandates.

Schools in Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas have also temporarily closed to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.

Some experts suggest that weaker immunity due to COVID-19 lockdowns, a less effective flu vaccine, and fewer people staying home when sick may be contributing to the surge in cases.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases continue to decline in the US The test positivity rate fell to 5.3% in the last week of January, down from 5.8% the previous week and significantly lower than last winter’s peak of 13%. RSV infections are also decreasing, with hospitalization rates down 17% over the past week.

Despite varying opinions on mask effectiveness, hospitals enforcing mandates argue that face coverings help curb infection rates, particularly in healthcare settings.

As respiratory infections continue to spread, public health officials are closely monitoring developments and urging vigilance in preventing further strain on hospitals.