WhidbeyHealth Implements Indefinite Mask Mandate Amid Respiratory Surge

WhidbeyHealth announced a facilitywide mask mandate that went into effect Jan. 7, requiring patients, visitors and staff to wear face coverings in all clinics and hospital settings. Hospital officials said the directive will remain in place indefinitely as leaders work to prevent the spread of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory infections among vulnerable patients and health care personnel.

WhidbeyHealth officials made the decision Tuesday morning and posted an announcement on Facebook that afternoon. The measure responds to a recent rise in respiratory illness: the most recent available county data shows 16.7% of emergency department visits in Island County during the week of Dec. 28 were for acute respiratory infections, from mild colds to severe illness such as COVID-19. Influenza accounted for 2.9% of visits and RSV for 0.8%.

Local and regional benchmarks guided the decision. Health care facilities in the North Sound Accountable Community of Health region, which includes Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties, collectively surpassed a 14% threshold for respiratory infection-related emergency visits. At that level Island County Public Health recommends masking inside health care facilities. "Island County and the North Sound ACH region have just met the threshold," said Conor O’Brien, WhidbeyHealth’s public relations manager.

Statewide indicators mirror local trends: Washington’s Department of Health reported 16.4% of emergency visits were for respiratory infections in the week ending Dec. 28, with increases in flu, RSV and COVID-19 noted across the state. Emergency visits for COVID-19 in Island County remain few and have declined since the hospital system recorded nearly 20 positive COVID-19 tests in September.

The mandate includes a clear metric for lifting requirements: O’Brien said mask rules can be repealed once the region falls below the 14% threshold for two consecutive weeks, a threshold calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He added that "mandatory masking protocols will be reviewed every week or as new epidemiological data become available."

For Island County residents, the policy means masks will be required at WhidbeyHealth facilities for the foreseeable future. Hospital leaders emphasize the step is intended to reduce transmission in clinical settings where frequent close contact and high-risk patients elevate the stakes. Health officials will continue monitoring respiratory illness trends and reassess masking requirements as regional data evolve.