As COVID-19 cases resurface, hospitals around the country are imposing mask mandates.
From California to Massachusetts, hospitals have reinstated the necessity for workers — and, in some cases, visitors and anyone else in the facility — to wear masks. Hospitals claim that the cause is an increase in COVID cases among their employees or in the communities they serve.
Currently, the majority of COVID infections in the United States are caused by the Omicron variant XBB.1.5. The CDC is also monitoring a new, highly modified strain known as BA.2.86, which it believes is more likely to infect patients who have already had COVID-19 or who have been immunized against it.
Nationwide positive tests for COVID hover at around 13% in the last week. The South has been the most active region in that time frame, with an 18% positivity rate.
Hospitalizations have started to trend up again from their most recent low point in June, according to the CDC. Week over week, admissions have increased more than 18% nationwide. As of Aug. 19, there had been more than 15,000 new hospital admissions.
President Biden has requested additional cash from Congress to develop new vaccines to protect against the most recent strains.
A new version of the vaccine, targeting the currently prevalent XBB.1.5, is already in the works. It will require FDA approval as well as a CDC recommendation for distribution.
Officials expect to have it ready in September, and they predict that annual COVID boosters around the same time each year will become the norm.
President Biden told reporters that it was “tentatively” suggested that everyone obtain an XBB.1.5 booster.