Why you’ll need a mask to visit hospitalized loved ones in NJ this winter Sergio Bichao Published: December 1, 2025 Rattankun Thongbun

😷 Starting December 1, 2025, Hackensack Meridian Health is again requiring masks for anyone visiting admitted patients at its New Jersey hospitals.

📈 The decision comes as the New Jersey Department of Health reports rising respiratory-virus activity — flu, RSV, and COVID-19 spreading across emergency rooms statewide.

⚠️ The mask mandate has reignited heated debate — some praise the move for safety, others say it’s a return to pandemic panic.

Masking is back at one of New Jersey's largest hospital networks.

Hackensack Meridian Health announced that starting Dec. 1, all visitors must wear a mask when visiting hospitalized patients. The policy co

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