KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Covenant Health on Monday announced it has dropped its masking requirement at its healthcare centers across the area. East Tennessee Children's Hospital also changed its policy Monday.
Masks are now optional for patients and visitors at all Covenant Health hospitals and care sites. The East Tennessee Children's Hospital also said masks would be optional in all public areas.
Covenant Health said staff will still be required to wear masks when caring for patients requiring infection control practices, including COVID-19 patients, or if they are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
"As we have over the last several years, we will continue to monitor data related to COVID-19 and will adapt our policies as necessary going forward," Covenant Health said in a press release. "The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for all of us – healthcare workers, patients and communities. We appreciate your continued patience and support, and extend our gratitude for the cards, letters, gifts, food, flowers, prayers and words of thanks and kindness that our facilities have received over the past two years."
The Knox County Health Department as of last Wednesday continued to report a largely flat and low number of new COVID-19 infections. The county has averaged roughly 20 new positive infections daily since early March as it also reported drastically fewer COVID-19 tests conducted over the past two months.
As of April 30, a total of 22 people were in a regional hospital with COVID-19, with 2 of those in the ICU. Knox County's last reported death to the virus occurred nearly a full month ago on April 11, according to KCHD, which makes it the longest stretch of time without a reported COVID-19 death in the county since the pandemic began.