CINCINNATI — Wearing a mask when you go to the hospital has become the new normal over the past three years. But that may not be the case any longer now that COVID-19 cases are on the decline. 

What You Need To Know

  • Hospitals across Ohio are beginning to lift mask mandates

  • That's because COVID-19 cases are on a decline

  • They have also lifted visitor restrictions and health screenings

  • But health experts warn that these policies could change are contingent on the severity of the virus

A little over 110,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Ohio since January 2023. That's about one fifth of the number of cases reported last year at this time.

“We’ve seen a downward trajectory of COVID cases and hospitalizations really since the beginning of the year,” said Tiffany Mattingly, The Health Collaborative vice president of clinic strategies.

Mattingly and her team at The Health Collaborative have been tracking COVID-19 data since the pandemic began. With cases on the decline, she said hospitals they work with across 16 counties in southwest Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana have started to lift their mask mandates and COVID-19 policies.

“The ultimate goal here is that we can still control infection, but not have to be masking if we don’t see a lot of active COVID spread in the community,” said Mattingly.

UC Health Medical Center is one of those hospitals that have lifted its mask mandate with some exceptions. In addition to the changes in the Cincinnati area, four major hospitals in central Ohio made masking optional this week. Mattingly expects to see even more health systems moving in that direction. 

“We know that the federal public health emergency is expiring on May 11, which is also a good sign nationally of the direction of where COVID is moving,” she said.

In addition to the mask mandates, many hospitals have also lifted COVID-19 screenings and visitor limitations. While Mattingly said she is optimistic about how hospitals move forward, she realizes that anything is subject to change when it comes to the virus. 

 “We have to be vigilant and pay attention and then put those restrictions in place when we think the time is right if we see a threat emerging,” she said.