NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) -- The FDNY is requiring all EMS workers and ambulance personnel to wear a mask as COVID, flu and RSV cases rise in New York City.
EMS providers who provide "prehospital emergency medical treatment" must wear a surgical mask, according to a memo acquired from an FDNY source. Also, while entering a medical facility or an emergency department workers must wear a face covered, according to the memo.
In early January, mask mandates returned to public hospitals in the city due to a rise in respiratory illnesses.
“As we’ve seen an increase in COVID, flu, and RSV this is really to protect our patients, staff, and the community. It applies to clinical settings such as our hospitals, community health centers, and nursing homes,” said a spokesperson for NYC Health + Hospitals.
Charline Charles is a digital journalist from Brooklyn who has covered local news along with culture and arts in the New York City area since 2019. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.