Mandatory Masking Procedures Back in Place at A.O. Fox

ONEONTA—Effective Tuesday, September 19, Bassett Healthcare Network has reinstituted temporary mandatory masking requirements at A.O. Fox Hospital, per COVID-19 guidelines in place to protect patients and employees. The facility-wide mandatory masking requirement will be lifted at A.O. Fox Hospital as soon as the number of active COVID-19 cases within the facility falls below the established threshold. While the masking safety measure is in place, signs will alert building entrants.

Currently, A.O. Fox Hospital is the only hospital within Bassett Healthcare Network with mandatory masking procedures in place.

“Out of an abundance of caution to protect our patients, residents, and employees, Bassett’s Infection Control team and other experts have established guidelines for our facilities to follow around masking,” wrote Gabrielle Argo, director of public relations, in an e-mail earlier today.

Currently, the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed among employees at A.O. Fox Hospital reached the threshold for temporarily requiring masking (3 percent of employees within a seven-day period), according to Argo.

“Thankfully, we have not seen any severe illness as a result of these cases,” Argo said.

  Bassett’s experts are monitoring community COVID-19 cases and trends on a daily basis.