Dec. 5, 2014: Announcing the Official Start of Flu Season and Masking Requirements

Dear Colleagues,

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's weekly flu activity summary, both the Maryland/Washington area and Florida are seeing regional influenza activity. Based on the number of flu cases admitted to our hospitals, we are now able to declare the start of the 2014–2015 flu season, which initiates the start of mask wearing at all facilities within Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Because many clinicians serve at multiple campuses, the Johns Hopkins Health System's Office of Epidemiology and Infection Prevention agreed to institute this requirement simultaneously at all Johns Hopkins clinics, hospitals and other locations providing patient care or interaction in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Florida in compliance with the mandatory influenza policy.  

The Johns Hopkins community would like to thank those of you who received the influenza vaccine and encourage those that have not to get vaccinated.

At this time, anyone who has been granted an exception from the policy is required to wear a mask, as designated by local institutional policy. This requirement will remain in place until there are less than five flu cases in a week, marking the end of flu season. At that time, we will let you know that the requirement to wear a mask has ended.  

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Epidemiology and Infection Prevention at 410-502-9617.

Trish Perl, M.D., M.Sc.
Senior Epidemiologist
Johns Hopkins Medicine

JoEllen Harris, R.N., C.I.C.
Director of the Epidemiology and Infection Prevention Program
Johns Hopkins Health System