Good Samaritan Implements Optional Masking Policy

Beginning October 4, 2022, wearing a mask will be optional in all Good Samaritan facilities. Good Samaritan’s Chief Operating Officer, Adam Thacker, stated that the change comes from new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC recommends that health care facilities may choose to make masking optional when COVID-19 community transmission is low and then re-enforce masking when community transmission is high.

“Our community and Good Samaritan caregivers have been looking forward to this day for more than two years,” stated Thacker. “In the last year and a half we have relaxed some measures as we have seen vaccination continue to drive down death and hospitalization seen with the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, we have remained steady with following CDC recommendations and guidance, and I am thrilled that the recommendations are allowing us to relax masking across all Good Samaritan facilities.”

Thacker stated that while masking is optional at this time, the policy will be revisited on a weekly basis. “Good Samaritan will determine universal masking requirements based on the COVID-19 Community Level Status for Knox County as determined by the CDC Data Tracker,” he added. “The status of masking will be reviewed each Monday and communication will be issued if changes are necessary.”

Knox County’s current status is green, indicating an optional masking policy. If the status changes to yellow, the masking requirement will return to the most recent policy that includes universal masking at the Good Samaritan Hospital campus in all patient care areas and common areas. In a yellow status, masking is only optional in non-patient care areas of the hospital campus.

If transmission level in Knox County is red, all Good Samaritan facilities (hospital and ambulatory sites) will have a universal masking requirement. This will mean that masks must be worn in all patient facing and non-patient facing areas.

For more information about the masking policy, visit www.gshvin.org/~/coronavirus/masking-policy/.

Beginning October 4, 2022, wearing a mask will be optional in all Good Samaritan facilities. Good Samaritan’s Chief Operating Officer, Adam Thacker, stated that the change comes from new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC recommends that health care facilities may choose to make masking optional when COVID-19 community transmission is low and then re-enforce masking when community transmission is high.

“Our community and Good Samaritan caregivers have been looking forward to this day for more than two years,” stated Thacker. “In the last year and a half we have relaxed some measures as we have seen vaccination continue to drive down death and hospitalization seen with the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, we have remained steady with following CDC recommendations and guidance, and I am thrilled that the recommendations are allowing us to relax masking across all Good Samaritan facilities.”

Thacker stated that while masking is optional at this time, the policy will be revisited on a weekly basis. “Good Samaritan will determine universal masking requirements based on the COVID-19 Community Level Status for Knox County as determined by the CDC Data Tracker,” he added. “The status of masking will be reviewed each Monday and communication will be issued if changes are necessary.”

Knox County’s current status is green, indicating an optional masking policy. If the status changes to yellow, the masking requirement will return to the most recent policy that includes universal masking at the Good Samaritan Hospital campus in all patient care areas and common areas. In a yellow status, masking is only optional in non-patient care areas of the hospital campus.

If transmission level in Knox County is red, all Good Samaritan facilities (hospital and ambulatory sites) will have a universal masking requirement. This will mean that masks must be worn in all patient facing and non-patient facing areas.

For more information about the masking policy, visit www.gshvin.org/~/coronavirus/masking-policy/.