- The WSCA continues to receive daily requests for updates on the current mask mandate. On December 7, we, along with the Washington Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association, have met with DOH to discuss the issue at length.
- Many of you have called us and detailed many arguments, clinical examples, and inconsistencies with CDC guidelines that support the removal of a mask mandate, especially in outpatient clinical settings.
- Rest assured that we have shared all of those arguments with DOH leadership, including Chief Science Officer, Dr. Tao Kwan-Gett.
- We detailed how patients are choosing not to get care, clinics are seeing patients argue with each other, staff, and providers, and how they are confused why they can attend large sporting events with no mask, screaming at the top of their lungs for hours, but must wear a mask for a 5-minute chiropractic appointment.
- We shared how we understand the need to maintain masks in high risk areas such as emergency rooms and urgent cares, but that a tiered approach as suggested by the CDC is now appropriate.
- We also stressed the drain on resources for boards and commissions due to frivolous complaints.
- The outcome of the meeting is that they “will take our recommendations into consideration.”
- The Department has indicated that it will provide a more detailed response by the first week of January, if not sooner.
- The WSCA understands that this is not the news you want to hear–we were hoping for a different response as well. Please know that we have, and will continue to, challenge inconsistencies in these orders, and will report to the membership the moment the policy is changed.
