GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Many area hospitals and clinics are removing, or already removed, the mask requirement in their facilities. Bellin Health marks the latest provider to lift its masking requirements.
A Bellin Health Infectious Disease Physician Dr. Michael Landrum, is excited to smile at his co-workers and patients for the first time in three years.
“We’re really looking forward to it… There’s been a lot of turnover of staff, so there will be some new faces. We’ll be seeing some people for the first time without a mask, so that will be interesting and good to get to know people without a mask.”
Some smaller Bellin clinics have already made the change. The policy goes facility wide on Monday.
Other providers that have lifted masking requirements for patients without exposure or symptoms include Prevea, HSHS Hospitals and Aurora.
Ashley Nelson is a Bellin Health patient. She goes to a smaller clinic on Green Bay’s east side. That clinic lifted its mask mandate a few weeks ago. She said her first experience back was positive.
“Oh my gosh, fantastic,” says Nelson. “It seems much less clinical, more personal. I understand the masks were a thing when COVID first started and throughout all that, but at this point and time, I was very excited.”
Individuals with fever or respiratory symptoms will still need a mask. Providers will also wear one if requested by the patient.
Landrum says a large reason for this is immunity.
“It has taken a while, but because of the vaccinations, because of the number of infections that people globally and in the United States have had, the numbers for COVID-19 are winding down.”
Masks may be gone, but COVID is not.
Although, Wisconsin’s COVID numbers for Wednesday are the lowest seven day average of new cases since July 22, 2021 at 288 cases per day.
Brown County is currently in the low category for community spread.
And COVID hospitalizations haven’t been this low since last May.
Landrum says if things do pick up again, masks could come back.
Nelson says she would be okay with that.
“If things get bad again, and they come back again at medical facilities, I can understand that.”
ThedaCare still requires masks for everyone at the hospital.
At ThedaCare’s clinics, patients who don’t have symptoms or exposure can remove the mask in the exam room.
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