Updated masking guidelines for Keck Medicine of USC employees and providers will go into effect on Monday, April 10.
The guidelines proceed recently updated COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements at Keck Medical Center of USC, as well as a March 31 announcement from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health ending the county-wide COVID-19 emergency declaration.
The measures are designed to enhance protections for a vulnerable patient population, Marty Sargeant, CEO of Keck Medical Center, and Laurie Johnson, chief of ambulatory operations for USC Care Medical Group, said in a memo issued April 7.
Where masking is required for employees and providers
Keck Hospital of USC:
- All times when interacting with patients or providing patient care
- Required on floors 2 through 9, including all nursing units and stations, registration desks, operating rooms, elevators, hallways and outpatient clinical areas (lab, radiology, SMS, PDR, etc.) regardless of the nature of the activity
- In the Evaluation and Treatment clinic, as well as lower-level patient care areas
USC Norris Cancer Hospital:
- All areas of the hospital and its clinics
USC Care, ambulatory clinics, USC Arcadia Hospital, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital:
- Clinical areas where patients are present
- Any instance where an employee makes direct face-to-face contact with a patient, including while transporting them or administering services
Where masking is recommended
- Main lobbies and gift shops (Keck Hospital, USC-AH, USC-VHH)
- Cafeterias (Keck Hospital, USC-AH, USC-VHH)
- Inpatient waiting areas in Keck Hospital’s main floor lobbies
- Administrative areas
- Staff breakrooms and physician lounges
—Kevin Joy