During a virtual press conference on Monday, the Massachusetts Coalition for Health Equity called on healthcare providers and hospitals to reintroduce universal mask mandates to protect against COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses during the upcoming holiday season. The coalition, which was formed in response to the pandemic with the aim of safeguarding individuals who are particularly susceptible to COVID-19, urged health systems to reconsider their masking policies.

Many hospitals had lifted their mask mandates after the public health emergency ended in May. However, with the rise of new cases and variants of COVID-19, there is concern that this could lead to a resurgence of the virus during the holiday season. The coalition emphasized that masks are an essential tool in preventing the spread of respiratory illnesses and should be worn in all healthcare settings, regardless of vaccination status or negative test results.

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