Dear NEOMED Community:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance last week to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. County levels can be low, medium or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.
The Portage County community level is low. In following new CDC guidelines, masks are no longer required on campus -- including in academic spaces -- and NEOMED no longer has Mandatory Face Mask Zones, effective immediately.
Please note that patient care areas in the NEW Center will follow CDC instructions for clinical sites, which may be more stringent. Of course, your safety is our first priority and individuals may use safety measures such as masking, handwashing and limited engagement as they feel comfortable.
Thank you for all you have done to make this pivotal change possible.
Sincerely,
John T. Langell
President