Renee Bandish, a phlebotomist, works maskless for the first time in three years on Monday, May 1, 2023, at UPMC Passavant Cranberry, the day the hospital system ended mandatory masking for staff. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

Employees of UPMC went into work Monday, May 1, 2023, without facial coverings for the first time since early 2020.

Paul Hanlon, senior director of quality, patient safety and compliance for UPMC Passavant, said going into his office felt a little off.

“I have had two masks in my car for years. Any time I would walk in, I would just reach over and grab my mask and put it on instinctively,” Hanlon said. “Getting out of my car was very different today.”

UPMC ended its mask mandate Monday, so employees, patients and their families are no longer required to wear facial coverings in a majority of areas in the health system’s facilities. There are a few places in the system where masks still are required, but according to Hanlon, they are not at either of the Passavant campuses.

Hanlon said the decision was based on the “prevalence of COVID-19 in the community” and what administrators “are seeing from a data perspective as far as the changing state of the pandemic itself.” He also said the decision was made long after many other businesses and organizations ended their own mask requirements.

“When you look at the amount of patients in our communities or even in the state,” Hanlon said, “we as a leadership team across the system determined it would be the appropriate time to discontinue masking.”

Just about all of the other health measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic still are in place at UPMC hospitals, Hanlon said, such as employee testing and personal protective equipment supplies.

Hanlon said some employees and patients also will continue to wear masks in certain units. If a patient requests it, the practitioners working with them will wear masks.

Additionally, employees are encouraged not to come to work if they don’t feel well.

“We ourselves are saying if you are not feeling well, stay home,” Hanlon said.

The change, Hanlon said, is made with the safety of patients and employees still in mind, and the policy could be adjusted again, if necessary.

“We've taken careful steps along the way. We knew we had to continue to protect our patients and our staff members as well,” Hanlon said. “The only thing we are changing is our masking policy.”

Robin Wolford, a phlebotomist, bags test tubes in a lab on Monday, May 1, 2023, at UPMC Passavant Cranberry. Wolford worked maskless as UPMC repealed its mandatory masking on May 1. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

Stephanie McQuiston works at a mobile station at UPMC Passavant Cranberry on Monday, May 1, 2023. Beginning that day, UPMC repealed its mandatory masking policy. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

From left, Rhonda McKelvey, Renee Bandish and Robin Wolford work maskless in the phlebotomy lab after three years of mandated masking ended on Monday, May 1, 2023, at UPMC Passavant Cranberry. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

Alyssa Riddle, patient care technician, left, and Tanya Heffley, monitor technician, work maskless for the first day in over three years on Monday, May 1, 2023, at UPMC Passavant Cranberry. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

Staff at UPMC Passavant Cranberry Township pose for a group portrait on Monday, May 1, 2023, the day UPMC lifted its mask requirement. Pictured are, from left, Ginny Bonessi, Tanya Heffley, Paul Hanlon, Judi Ganch, ZStephanie McQuiston, Jason Bowman, Debbie Stolz, Sonia Ladasky and Rick Frederick. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle