Guidance - Use Of Face Coverings By Physicians

Guidance: Use Of Face Coverings By Physicians

Effective November 13, 2020, the Iowa Board of Medicine adopted the following guidance (provided by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)) for the use of face coverings by physicians and other healthcare providers while providing in-person medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Wearing a face covering is a harm-reduction strategy to help limit the spread of COVID-19, especially since physical distancing is not possible in health care settings. When seeing patients during in-person clinical encounters, physicians have a professional responsibility to wear a facial covering for their own protection, as well as that of their patients and society as a whole.”