Masks Now Mandatory at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown

COOPERSTOWN—Effective immediately, Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown has reinstituted temporary masking requirements per COVID-19 safety guidelines in place to protect patients and employees according to an announcement issued today, January 4.

All patients, visitors, employees, students, and volunteers are now required to wear medical-grade masks across Bassett Medical Center’s facilities (including the main hospital and fieldstone building, Clinic building, Railroad Avenue, outpatient rehabilitation at Clark Sports Center, and in all administrative office buildings). While masking safety measures are in place, signs will alert building entrants. Masks will be available at all entrances.

Currently, Bassett Medical Center is the only hospital within Bassett Healthcare Network with mandatory masking procedures in place. Cobleskill Health Center also currently has temporary masking measures. Out of an abundance of caution to protect our patients, visitors, and employees, Bassett’s Infection Prevention team and other experts have established ongoing guidelines for our facilities to follow around masking. Currently, the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed among employees at Bassett Medical Center reached the threshold for temporarily requiring masking.

The facility-wide mandatory masking requirement at Bassett Medical Center will be reassessed in 14 days and lifted as soon as the number of active COVID-19 cases within the facility falls below the established threshold.

Bassett’s experts continue to monitor community COVID-19 cases and trends daily. Officials thank Bassett patients and community members for helping each other stay safe and healthy.