Mask Updates

Recently the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released  updated guidance on how we can reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. One area of focus is an ability to reduce masking measures based upon county levels of COVID-19 transmission rates, hospital admission rates, and hospital capacity.

While Hamilton and Clermont counties are currently in a medium risk level, you will still see our team masking in our offices. At this time, we continue to ask that all patients over the age of 2, parents or guardians, and other visitors continue to wear masks as well. We based decision on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recent guidance and with you, our patients and families, in mind. A few considerations we used in making this decision, and advise you think about for your children and families as well include:

• Many of our patients are currently ineligible for the COVID vaccine due to age. Even though the vaccine is available for many of our patients, we are still treating patients in our offices that have not been fully immunized.
• We treat patients that are immunocompromised and are at a higher risk for severe illness. We treat patients with family members that are at higher risk of severe disease or are not immunized.
• We continue to treat patients with COVID-19.

“The AAP strongly recommends that all individuals ages 5 years and older receive the COVID –19 vaccine. Additional layered prevention strategies such as testing, ventilation, and masking can also create a cocooning effect that offers protection for children too young to be vaccinated or who have health conditions, such as immune-compromise or lung conditions, that are more likely to result in severe disease from COVID-19 infection.”

We will be in communication should there be any additional changes in our mask policies in the upcoming future. In the interim, we ask that patients 2 years of age and older, parents, guardians, and visitors continue wearing face masks in our facilities. We appreciate your support in our decision to protect our patients and our team.

Thank you for trusting us with your child’s care!

Anderson Hills Pediatrics

Resources:

• American Academy of Pediatrics: American Academy of Pediatrics Offers New Masking Recommendations for Families Following Updated CDC Guidance