Face mask mandate in Oregon health care settings ends

Next up in 5

Example video title will go here for this video

PORTLAND, Ore. — State mask mandates in health care settings are a thing of the past in Oregon and Washington. Both states lifted their mask requirements on April 3.

State health officials announced the changes about a month ago as a coordinated effort to end one of the most steadfast regulations of the pandemic.

The decision came as state health officials noted influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection cases were dropping, while COVID-19 cases were all also trending downward. Still, Oregon State Health Officer Dr. Dean Sidelinger recognized that lifting the mask mandate in medical settings would bring mixed feelings.

"For many… this is a great positive step as we move on from COVID," said Sidelinger. "For others, particularly those with chronic conditions or who are immunocompromised, they're facing this decision with some anxiety."

Over the last month, individual health care providers adjusted their masking guidelines, which went into effect on April 3.

"We wanted to be sure that all of our patients stayed safe and be respectful of others," said Teri Dantzler a staff member at Portland Urgent Care.

Dantzler said they’ll continue requiring patients with cough or cold symptoms to wear a mask when they come in. Employees will also wear a mask if they have symptoms or when testing a patient for COVID. Dantzler said during the pandemic, staff members were very diligent about wearing masks, and it showed.

"Not one staff member that we're aware of got COVID because of a patient walking in the door so that was an amazing statistic for us," said Dantzler.

Legacy Health will continue requiring masks in certain areas and situations including around oncology, transplant and medically fragile patients and whenever a patient or family member asks that masks be worn. OHSU, Kaiser, PeaceHealth and Providence Heath & Services are all making similar adjustments, asking patients with symptoms of respiratory illness to continue wearing masks.

As the public moves into this next post-pandemic phase, health officials and care providers said it's important that people not let their guard down and always be considerate of others.

"To me that's just common sense now that we've been wearing [masks] for so long," said Dantzler. "We understand that it does help."