Amid a surge in respiratory illnesses, all OSF Healthcare facilities are updating their safety protocols. Hospitals, hospice homes, and clinics are now recommending, rather than requiring, masks for patients and visitors. This shift aims to balance personal freedom with safety, urging mask usage to protect high-risk groups like the elderly and immunocompromised. Furthermore, visitor restrictions have been tightened, allowing only two adults per patient, with allowances for exceptional cases. These measures are part of ongoing efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of all community members during this challenging period. “The well-being and safety of our patients and their families remain at the heart of everything we do.”
