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Renown and Thousands of Top U.S. Hospitals Encourage Everyone to #MaskUp

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Growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths are troubling; facemasks can slow the trend.

100 of the nation’s top health care systems, representing thousands of hospitals in communities across the U.S., have come together with an urgent plea for all Americans – mask up, because wearing a facemask is our best chance at slowing the surging COVID-19 pandemic now.

More than 11.5 million Americans have tested positive for the virus – including an additional one million in just the past week – leading to nearly 250,000 deaths.

The current trends are daunting and frightening. If the nation stays on its current course, hospital leaders are increasingly concerned that more healthcare facilities will be overwhelmed as shortages of healthy caregivers make it difficult to handle a rapidly increasing number of patients. Unfortunately, this is already happening in parts of our country.

The next several months will be critical. Though there has been positive news about vaccine development, no one knows when those vaccines will be ready for widespread use. In the meantime, everyone must remain vigilant, take precautions and follow public health orders.

The country has reached a tipping point. The power to do what is right is now in the hands of everyone everywhere.

Beginning today, a public service message will run in The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times. Additionally, leading hospitals and health systems across the country will continue to unite to share these messages regionally.

The message reads:

“As the top nationally-ranked hospitals, we know it’s tough that we all need to do our part and keep wearing masks. But, here’s what we also know: The science has not changed. Masks slow the spread of COVID-19. So, please join us as we all embrace this simple ask: Wear. Care. Share with #MaskUp. Together, wearing is caring. And together, we are saving lives.”

In an effort to reach a broader audience, the public service effort will also include messages on digital platforms, social media, online information, links to vital health resources and more.

Combining resources demonstrates that these health organizations are working together, will accomplish this today and will get through this together.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points to recent studies that have shown facemasks successfully limit spread of the COVID-19 virus. Wearing facemasks protect in key ways: by protecting the wearer against inhalation of harmful pathogens and particulates and by preventing exposure of those around the wearer.

In addition to masking, the CDC suggests that everyone minimize the number of non-household contacts, maintain a physical distance of at least six feet, and limit the amount of time around others, especially while indoors and in poorly ventilated areas. For further information about masking guidelines – how to choose a mask, how to properly wear a mask – visit the CDC website.


About Us

www.everymaskup.com is a collaboration of 100 leading health systems representing thousands of hospitals across the U.S. joining together to create messages for the betterment of communities they serve. The impetus for this, and other public service campaigns to follow, came from a group of health care marketing and communications executives meeting for a decade and reengaged weekly since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The goal is to share knowledge and experience, best practices, strategies and resources - knowing they can accomplish more together. Founded and led by Rhoda Weiss, Ph.D., Los Angeles-based national health care leader and consultant, the expanded coalition is partnering with Cleveland Clinic Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Paul Matsen and his team for this effort. Additionally, hospitals and health systems on a regional basis continue to come together to send messages like these of prevention and safety, hope and healing, life and death, care and caring.

Media Contacts:

Rhoda Weiss

M: 310-945-6730

E: rhoda@rhodaweiss.com

Angie Kiska

M: 216-312-9170

E: kiskaa@ccf.org


The following hospitals and health systems to spread this message across the country.

AdventHealth
Nemours Children's Health System
Adventist Health
NewYork-Presbyterian
Allegheny Health Network
Northwell Health
Atrium Health
Northwestern Medicine
Avera Health
Norton Healthcare
Banner Health
Ochsner Health
Baptist Health Northeast Florida
OhioHealth
Baylor Scott & White Health
Oregon Health & Science University
BJC HealthCare
OSF HealthCare
Bon Secours Mercy Health
OU Health
Boston Children's Hospital
PeaceHealth
Cedars-Sinai
Penn Medicine
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Penn State Health
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Providence
Children's Hospital of Orange County
Renown Health
Children's National Hospital
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
ChristianaCare
Rush University System for Health
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
RWJ Barnabas Health
City of Hope
Saint Luke's Health System (Kansas City, MO)
Cleveland Clinic
SCL Health
CommonSpirit Health
Scripps Health
Community Health Systems
Sharp HealthCare
Cooper University Health Care
Southwestern Health Resources
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
SSM Health
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health
St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Duke Health
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Emory Healthcare
St. Luke's Hospital (St. Louis)
Geisinger
Stanford Health Care
Hackensack Meridian Health
Sutter Health
HCA Healthcare
Temple Health
Inspira Health
Texas Health Resources
Intermountain Healthcare
The Christ Hospital Health Network
Jefferson Health
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Johns Hopkins Medicine
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Kaiser Permanente
ThedaCare
Keck Medicine of USC
TriHealth (Cincinnati)
LifePoint Health
Trinity Health
Mass General Brigham
UC Davis Health
Mayo Clinic
UCHealth
MedStar Health
UC Health CINCINNATI
Memorial Hermann
UC San Diego Health
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
UChicago Medicine
MemorialCare (Southern California)
UCI Health
Mercy
UCLA Health
Michigan Medicine
UCSF Health
Mount Sinai Health System
UNC Health
National Jewish Health
University of California Health
Nationwide Children's Hospital
University Hospitals (Cleveland)
Nebraska Medicine
University of Iowa Health Care
Virtua Health

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