Forwarding this disturbing message from Mass General Hospital.
<https://click.email.patientgateway.org/open.aspx?ffcb10-feca17757461047a-fe2e16717560007c731279-fe3011717d640479751c75-ff67157371-fe2e16797262007c711470-ff291171726d&d=70241&bmt=0> <https://patientgateway.massgeneralbrigham.org/mychart-prd/PPGDocs/en-US/images/MGBLogo.png> This message is available in Arabic ( <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b7521c9d335898d4212510637c53726effdfff2264120c4b82052c1c185302ae38fa83e6b0568bc84d61771ab140f788d11c2247fd8453de5006c> العربية), Chinese ( <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b7521272949937b82ef9bdb008246c4d595f36c9b59caa8ef3bc963de8d5b6354be4c74c5becda6b5af58ba7b8e759088bf241ac2c48f979b1bc3> 繁體中文), Haitian Creole ( <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b75218096279c89665568fdbb7a21976a36168fbf9f6d73587232abce6fad573576f86de1e9bf66afe348bc695a922821af0cdf549898a46e3ede> Kreyòl ayisyen), Portuguese ( <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b75218ef71c1612f4b6b791d483dd3e302828ed8c8bb493ae501638993e0ebb4f604c6c56425a4b1903dffa8de07569e373ee1a8f35041f8da398> Português), Russian ( <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b75211c48db949f4b97c55f8d370fc0da5e91592827e3c3b65d495d1339f274908eadf9529edb1e642e51e8f9cc01726301c7abad11175ceceb76> Русский), and Spanish ( <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b7521c7fa8199604c3de31d8d40bad60620444042ccf013ffe0a68847350256c5bb024ea585d1ff8f89cf51a2901cbb543bc6395c1fde94be72fc> Español). Dear Patient, We hope you and your family had a healthy and festive holiday season. We are writing to let you know about changes you will see at Mass General Brigham clinics and hospitals. We monitor respiratory virus activity throughout the year. Our community has now reached a <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b7521f1240099291cc3d5440c4924755c383f184bcb88afa44619e80e2b0ad860dcd157ab2dba7285626a2eba0053a5946aa4e0b3cc2c1b86ec88> high level of respiratory virus activity. To protect our patients, visitors, and staff, as of January 6th, you will see staff wearing masks more often. We do this during periods of high respiratory virus activity to protect our patients and care teams. During this period, you will see staff masking during direct interactions with patients in clinical locations. Direct interactions are those in patient rooms, patient bays, and other clinical care areas. Care team members are required to wear masks in these situations. Patients and visitors will be strongly encouraged, but not required, to wear a facility-issued face mask during direct interactions with care team members in Mass General Brigham clinical locations. Care team members, patients and visitors are not required to mask in lobbies, waiting rooms, or other common areas. All Mass General Brigham facilities and clinics will follow the same processes. Please note that other hospitals and systems may have different interventions. For more information about masking at Mass General Brigham, see <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b752101b6aa9b9e1f7f7b7ff02f8dd2060dd5b164bb3fe88d98da4da7a8cbadee872ea01eaff9928561d3e4ea0ef95257294554025366e6704fbb> our website. As a reminder: * If you are a patient, please contact your care team if you meet any of the criteria below before an in-person appointment. They can advise you about next steps. * Have a fever or other flu-like <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b7521020f12ee2d6f8870e1bf549ea635ad58f53b0e12354af0a9ecf4f53c815268833d413faadd0d82e3ddd9f6ea1b065a63cd9a570ba9e89422> symptoms * Have a known COVID-19 infection within the last 10 days * Have a known exposure to COVID-19 within the last 10 days * If you are a visitor or support person: * If you have symptoms of fever or other flu-like symptoms, we ask you to wait to visit. * If you have been exposed to COVID, as long as you do not have symptoms, you can visit, but you must wear a facility-issued mask during your visit. If you choose to use your own mask, you must wear a facility-issued face mask on top of your own N95 respirator or face mask. By wearing one of our masks on top of your mask from home, it helps us know that the mask you are wearing is clean and effective. See our <https://click.email.patientgateway.org/?qs=91e0fcc8580b7521617e9175bc22984138851474a8ea95caeff84f020beb18a108eea2b5d550cc7c1c5f9ac9631fbfc1168a2fc22e7a1eebb02f9865bd66c114> visitor policy for more information. Thank you for taking the time to read this email. Sincerely, Tom Sequist, MD Chief Medical Officer Mass General Brigham
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