By Sunayana Prabhu
RED BANK – Responding to a surge in respiratory viruses throughout the country, including COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and influenza, several health care facilities and the largest hospital networks across New Jersey have reinstated mask mandates.
In the Two River area, Hackensack Meridian Health’s Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank and Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel have made face masks compulsory. According to an HMH spokesperson, as of Dec. 28, 2023, the health care network is requiring masking during patient encounters at all of its patient care facilities in addition to the hospitals, including long-term care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, physician offices, Urgent Care Centers, health visits and ambulatory care sites. “This decision was made due to an increase in COVID-19 prevalence in the community,” the HMH spokesperson confirmed. “The health and safety of our team members and patients has always been and continues to be our number one priority. We continue to closely monitor COVID-19 activity in our communities and other hospitals.”
The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) tracks viral respiratory illnesses across the state. In Monmouth County, the COVID-19 hospital admission level is “high,” according to its website. In data published on the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) website, the weekly percentage of total emergency department visits associated with COVID-19, influenza and RSV combined rose to 9.4% in the week ending Dec. 30, 2023. Around the same time last year the combined percentage was at 7.6%.
JN.1 is now the most widely circulating variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the United States and around the world, according to the CDC. The virus is constantly changing and accumulating mutations in its genetic code. The CDC reported that not only are JN.1 cases highly transmissible, but the variant is also better at evading immune systems.
The CDC also reported “elevated” hospitalizations due to RSV, “particularly among young children and older adults.”
In terms of elevated influenza levels across the state, the NJDOH’s surveillance data indicates “high” influenza activity in Monmouth County. Influenza A (H1N1) is the predominant influenza virus circulating, although its variants are also reported.
The CDC uses wastewater surveillance to determine the prevalence of a virus in a certain area. On Jan. 5 it reported COVID-19 viral activity levels 27% higher than this time last year; it estimated the percentage of positive cases was 17% higher.
The CDC strongly recommends getting COVID-19, RSV and influenza vaccinations to protect against these potentially serious illnesses.
The article originally appeared in the January 11 – January 17, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
