Health care giant UPMC plans to lift its mask mandate this week, after requiring facial coverings in its facilities for the last two months.
The requirement for masks at most UPMC facilities will end on Thursday, said hospital officials.
UPMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Donald Yealy said lifting the mask mandate is a result of sustained decreases in transmissions and hospitalizations of respiratory illnesses, namely covid-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
UPMC reinstated a mask requirement on Dec. 20 as respiratory illnesses saw a spike over around the holidays. Before that, UPMC last had a mask requirement starting with the pandemic and up until April 2023.
Yealy said the noted respiratory illnesses are still present in Pittsburgh-area communities, and so it is encouraging staff, patients, and support persons to wear masks, even if not requiring masks at most facilities.
Some specific UPMC locations may require masking based on who is served, the spokesperson said.
Other area hospitals, like Allegheny Health Network, did not reinstitute masking requirements after lifting the pandemic-era requirement in April 2023.
