The decision to re-impose requirements to wear face coverings follows growing media coverage of an emerging Covid variant “Pirola” BA.2.86. Kaiser Permanente just reversed a recent policy that would have required masking for all staff, patients, and visitors at its Santa Rosa facilities. “To ensure that we are helping protect the health and safety of our patients, our workforce and our community, we have reintroduced a mask mandate for physicians, staff, patients, members, and visitors in the hospital and medical offices in the Santa Rosa Service Area,” the company initially said. But, the healthcare giant has updated its guidance to requiring masks for only physicians and staff. The organization will now only “strongly encourage” masks for patients, members, and visitors in its hospital and medical offices in Santa Rosa. The policy change came after it was observed that people were not masking, The Press Democrat reported. At this time, it is unclear if Kaiser Permanente, which operates medical facilities across the U.S., will attempt to reinstate the policy at other locations. Also in California, Lionsgate film studio says it will be rescinding a forced masking policy, just days after it announced it wanted workers to mask up. “Employees must wear a medical grade face covering (surgical mask, KN95 or N95) when indoors except when alone in an office with the door closed, actively eating, actively drinking at their desk or workstation, or if they are the only individual present in a large open workspace,” a memo to company employees said. Days later, the company reversed course, blaming government officials. The studio said that it was told by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to put a mask mandate in place following a handful of positive Covid tests among staff. Some medical professionals believe that masking works to limit the transmission of coronaviruses. “Masking remains an effective tool to reduce your risk” of catching COVID, Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, told Fortune. However, as the Chicago Sun-Times reported, research shows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has exaggerated evidence that masking to stop the transmission of respiratory viruses actually works.Numerous businesses are rescinding their recently re-introduced mask-mandates, after people refused to comply.
