DCH Will Continue to Require Masks after State Mandate Expires

The decreasing number of COVID-19 cases in Tuscaloosa County and the increasing amounts of people being vaccinated for the virus have translated into a reduction in health and safety precautions on the state and local levels.

That is not the case at DCH Regional Medical Center or the other DCH Health System facilities in Northport or Fayette, where concern for patient and staff safety remains of significant importance.

Because many patients in a hospital are typically more vulnerable to outside health issues, DCH Vice President for Communications and Marketing Andy North told The Tuscaloosa Thread all DCH campuses will continue to follow health safety precautions for the time being.

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“In the hospital setting, we are going to continue to require our employees and our visitors to wear their masks for the near future,” North said.

During Tuesday night’s Tuscaloosa City Council meeting, Mayor Walt Maddox reported there are currently just three coronavirus patients being treated at DCH. North says the numbers will be monitored closely to determine if this is a lasting trend that can eventually trigger a reduction in hospital precautions.

“We are hopeful that we can get to the point where we can get back to operations as they normally were but for now, we are going to continue to require safety precautions. That will include, to some extent, limiting visitors until we feel like we are well and clear of this pandemic threat,” North said.

The Alabama Department of Public Health cautions that another surge in virus cases is not impossible and is urging citizens to continue to practice safety precautions by wearing a mask, socially distancing and frequently washing hands.