Nebraska hospitals to make masks optional again in April

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Seven medical institutions in Nebraska are removing their mask requirements at the beginning of April, according to a joint press release on Monday.

Bryan Health, Boys Town, CHI Health, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Madonna, Methodist Health System and Nebraska Medicine will make masking optional beginning April 3.

The press release says the institutions are moving away from face coverings as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is expected to end the Public Health Emergency on May 11.

CHI Health already ended its mask requirement last week, per the press release.

“We know more and we have vaccines that are extremely safe and effective in preventing serious disease and death,” the institutions said in a press release. “We now have oral medications that help prevent progression of disease.”

“We are better suited to treat patients with COVID-19 and they are consuming less intensive care resources. We are also experiencing less employee absenteeism due to COVID-19 infection.”

The hospitals say they have taken care of hundreds of thousands of patients over the last three. They say more changes could come in the coming months but are ready for this next step.

“Collectively, we saved countless lives, prevented and treated severe illness, and we witnessed incredible compassion from our teams that cared for patients and families,” the press release said. “We thank and acknowledge the communities we serve for supporting us and doing what they could to inform the public and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

Masking will still be required in certain areas where they were necessary prior to the pandemic.