• News Release: 5/10/2023 - Masks Welcome But No Longer Required

    Human InterestMember News

    MyMichigan Health
    News Release
     
    For Immediate Release
    May 10, 2023
     

     
    MIDLAND,  Mich. –  Face masks are welcome but are no longer required at MyMichigan Health medical centers, medical offices and outpatient clinics. The decision comes three years after MyMichigan, along with health systems across the nation, were first required to implement masking during the COVID-19 pandemic. The change will go into effect on Thursday, May 11, marked as the official end of the Public Health Emergency. Masking protocols will remain in place for COVID-19 patients and their care team.
     
    “This has certainly been a journey for all of us, not just in health care, but all industries, education, our communities alike,” said Lydia Watson, M.D., president and CEO, MyMichigan Health. “While COVID-19 indeed pushed us forward in areas of progress such as telemedicine, we are simply overjoyed to be on the other side of this crisis. The pandemic changed all of us in some way. There will be lessons learned and emotions felt surround this experience for years to come.”
     
    While the masking has lifted, MyMichigan Health continues to recommend those that are sick to stay home as to not spread infection. In addition, the best way to prevent the spread of this virus is proper hygiene, such as hand washing and not touching our faces.
     
    “Although COVID-19 is no longer a pandemic, people can still contact the virus. So, we’ll continue to monitor data and implement safety measures needed as guided by the CDC,” said Dr. Watson. “But, we’re hopeful that returning to pre-pandemic masking and visitation policies at our health care facilities will give people the confidence that we can live with the virus and can go on with normal life.”
     
     
    MyMichigan Health, a non-profit health system headquartered in Midland, Michigan, is a leader in providing award-winning, high-quality care to the 25-county region it serves. With Medical Centers in Alma, Alpena, Clare, Gladwin, Midland, Mt. Pleasant, Sault Ste. Marie and West Branch, MyMichigan also has affiliations with Medical Centers in St. Ignace and Mackinac Island. MyMichigan Health provides a full continuum of care across a wide array of settings, including urgent care centers, home health, virtual care, as well as medical offices in more than 80 specialties and subspecialties including cardiology, family medicine, hematology/oncology, neurosciences, orthopedics, pediatrics, vascular surgery, and more. MyMichigan Health demonstrates its commitment to the future of medicine by partnering with leading institutions to offer medical education programs that train medical students, physicians, nurse practitioner and physician assistant students, nursing students and other clinical experts for our region. Recognized by Forbes in 2022 as one of ‘America’s Best Employers by State,’ MyMichigan is a major employer in all of the areas it serves. In fact, its more than 10,180 employees, volunteers, health care providers and other personnel work together to create healthy communities through solutions designed to meet the ever-changing needs of the 981,000 residents in the health system’s 25-county service area. In fiscal year 2022, MyMichigan Health provided $132 million in community benefits, as well as supported its patients and families with new equipment, services and programs with funds raised by the MyMichigan Health Foundation.
     
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    News Release: 5/10/2023 - Masks Welco...

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