Monday evening, I arrived back home to a welcomed email from Erica Smith, our Staff Development Coordinator and Infection Preventionist, in the Health Center. 

Erica’ unexpected email contained significant—and frankly unanticipated—news! It read: 

“After speaking with Stephanie Wellman (Director of Nursing) and Kevin Stewart (Health Services Administrator) and based on the guidance from the Health Department—as well as our current status of moderate transmission rate County wide—Effective tomorrow 3/28/23, masks will be optional in the Health Center.” 

You may have seen in the news that a number of area medical centers, including CaroMont Health, moved in this direction on Tuesday morning as well. 

This is a significant and tangible sign of a major milestone that we, as a County, City, and Covenant Village, have reached—TOGETHER! Thank you for all your tremendous efforts—Residents and Staff—these last three years to battle the COVID disease. 

Obviously, this does not mean we can go back to doing anything we please. We still need to be diligent and vigilant. There will be other booster shots, annually. 

AND, as Erica further shared in her email, “This is subject to change based on any significant shifts to the transmission level in our County.” Erica will be monitoring our larger County situation so we can make any adjustments as necessary. Stay focused on your and our collective health!