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Brown Health at Status Red; Other Hospitals’ Mask Status with Virus Peak 2 Weeks Away
The flu is spreading uncontrolled with Flu A, Flu B, and COVID not far behind. Mask requirements have changed at nearly every hospital and healthcare setting. Some have gone from average, everyday masks to a Code Red – see below:
Brown University Health: Rhode Island Hospital – Miriam Hospital – Hasbro Children’s Hospital – Bradley Hospital – Newport Hospital – Gateway Healthcare – Saint Anne’s Hospital – Morton Hospital – and Brown Health Medical Group
Moves to Respiratory Virus Status RED Systemwide
Due to high community transmission rates of influenza and other respiratory viruses, Brown University Health will move to respiratory virus status red across all facilities (RI and MA), effective Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
Under Status Red, Level 2 surgical masks are required for patients, visitors, and staff at all times. Staff must wear a Level 2 surgical mask, or an N95 when clinically appropriate, covering the nose and mouth. Masks will be provided to patients’ family members and visitors upon arrival at hospitals and to patients for use in patient’s rooms.
This precautionary step is based on:
Brown University Health also reminds the public that it is not too late to get a flu shot, and encourages everyone to wash hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home when sick to help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses.
Brown University Health continues to monitor conditions closely and will adjust safety measures as needed to protect patients, visitors, and staff.
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Fatima Hospital & Roger Williams Hospital – Charter Care
Due to high community transmission rates of respiratory viruses, CharterCARE Hospitals are moving to Respiratory Virus Guidance Status YELLOW, effective on Monday, December 22, 2025. This is consistent with other hospital systems in Rhode Island. This means Level 2 surgical masks are required for patients and visitors, and for all staff during direct patient care. Masks will be available to all patients/family/visitors on arrival to the hospital in addition to the self-serve mask stations at each entrance. Again, this move is based on rising community respiratory virus rates, an increase in hospital admissions due to respiratory infections, and patients seen in the Emergency Department with Respiratory Illness.
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Landmark Medical Center
NO Mask Requirement
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South County Hospital
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Care New England – Kent Hospital, Women & Infants, Butler
Basic masks are required at all facilities
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Westerly Hospital (Yale New Haven)
All staff are required to wear a mask during close contact with patients and visitors. Patients and visitors are recommended to mask and required to do so if they have a respiratory tract infection.
While patients and visitors are not required to wear masks in most settings, masks are required or recommended in the following situations:
- Patients with respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, fever, runny nose) should wear a mask in all ambulatory areas (such as clinics, imaging, or therapy rooms) whenever possible.
- Visitors who feel unwell or show symptoms of a respiratory infection (such as cough or fever) are kindly asked to postpone their visit.
- Inpatients on isolation for a respiratory illness must wear a mask when being transported to another part of the hospital.
- Visitors to patients on isolation must follow the hospital’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) policies as directed by the signage posted outside patient rooms.
Masks will be readily available at entrances and throughout our hospitals for patients and visitors who need or wish to wear them.
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