Akron Children’s Hospital will continue to require patients, visitors and staff to wear masks in its facilities after the state lifted its mask mandate Wednesday.
Chief Medical Officer Rob McGregor says that it is not a safe practice for the hospital system to lift its mask requirements at this point.
“Over 50 percent of the patients are under 12 and don’t even have an option to get a vaccine," McGregor said. "We, as an organization, think that we need to keep the children safe in any setting.”
Akron Children’s is following CDC guidance, which recommends that health care settings continue to maintain COVID precautions such as masking and social distancing.
The hospital allows two visitors for adult patients who have appointments with maternal fetal medicine specialists or high-risk obstetricians. Most of its patients are pediatric and those patients are also allowed two adult visitors.
