Patients, providers at this Harrisonville medical clinic aren’t required to wear masks
The Harrisonville Family Medicine clinic has made wearing masks optional, a practice that defies COVID-19 recommendations from local hospitals, the state health department, the CDC and the World Health Organization.
Patients and health care providers at the clinic in Harrisonville, Missouri, don’t have to wear a mask, but can request one be worn, the clinic said on its website.
The clinic declined to answer questions about its masking policy, but office manager Brenda Houdek said, “Our clinic is taking the virus very seriously.”
Staff participate in a daily self-assessment, and patients are screened while scheduling their appointment and have their temperature taken when they arrive, according to the clinic’s website.
The practice includes a respiratory clinic. Anyone with symptoms is taken to the clinic, which has a separate waiting room, and is given a mask if they do not have one.
The medical practice also provides pulmonary function testing, allergy treatment and other services.
Health care staff should “absolutely” be wearing masks when treating patients, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said.
“For both patients and medical providers, regardless of whether or not they may have the virus, it has been strongly recommended by both the CDC and DHSS that masks be worn as part of routine infection prevention and control practices during this public health emergency,” DHSS spokeswoman Lisa Cox said.
Cass County was in the highest risk category for the virus, according to a news release from the county issued Nov. 23, but the commission has not issued a mask mandate.
Cass Regional Medical Center has instituted a universal masking policy.
“Based on CDC guidelines and recommendations from medical professional groups to reduce the spread of COVID-19, all employees are required to wear at least a level one mask or greater,” CEO Chris Lang said in a statement to The Star. “We also provide masks for anyone entering our facilities and encourage their use while in the buildings to protect themselves, those they interact with and our staff and providers. Given the growing number of cases we have seen in Cass County, we are concerned and have expressed our support to county officials to issue a mask mandate.”
The World Health Organization said in areas of community spread, health care workers, patients, visitors and other facility staff should wear a mask.
The White House Coronavirus Task Force on Wednesday urged Missouri to strengthen its COVID-19 public health orders. The task force said that if state and local leaders failed to reflect the seriousness of the virus to the public that health care officials have to take it upon themselves.
“Mitigation and messaging need to be further strengthened, as other states have done,” said the task force, which identified mask mandates and limited capacity and hours at restaurants and bars as effective practices. “Strong mitigation efforts by neighboring states are showing early impact.”
As of Thursday, Cass County has recorded 3,989 cases including 40 deaths. The seven-day positive test rate was 14.6%, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
