September 29th, 2022 by WCBC Radio

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no longer recommends universal masking in health care settings, unless the facilities are in areas of high COVID-19 transmission- but for the time being UPMC Western Maryland will still require personnel to wear face coverings. The CDC quietly issued the updates as part of an overhaul to its infection control guidance for health workers published late Friday afternoon. It marks a major departure from the agency’s previous recommendation for universal masking. UPMC Western Maryland Vice President of Medical Affairs Dr. Matt Simmons said the objective remains to cut down on the spread of the virus in a hospital setting…