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Effective on Tuesday, Jan. 16, visitors to Westchester Medical Center and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, both located in Valhalla, will be required to wear masks while in patient rooms in the inpatient hospital or in any clinical areas of the Emergency Department where patients may be encountered.
Additionally, visitors will be screened for COVID and flu-like symptoms once they arrive. Any visitors who show symptoms such as coughing or a runny nose will not be permitted inside.
Visitors are also being encouraged to wear masks in all other areas of the hospitals where patients may be, including nursing stations, lobbies, waiting areas, elevators, and other public areas.
The mask requirement reinstatement comes as positive COVID cases rise in Westchester. The number of positive cases has been increasing since early November, peaking on Tuesday, Jan. 2 with 518 cases, according to the New York State Department of Health's Electronic Clinical Laboratory Reporting System.
More recently, 391 positive cases were reported on Friday, Jan. 12, and 130 were reported on Sunday, Jan. 14, according to the health department.
Click here to view more COVID-19 positive case data.
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