NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Officials of Vanderbilt University Medical Center told News 2 they will begin ‘universal masking’ on May 1.

This is in an effort to expand COVID-19 safety procedures. All workforce members, patients and visitors will be required to wear a face mask while in all VUMC clinical care and public space settings.

Clinical care settings are defined as Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital, Vanderbilt Behavioral Health and all campus and regional ambulatory sites. Public settings are defined as cafeteria/food courts, elevators, waiting rooms, hallways and plazas in and around the clinical care settings.

Patients and visitors should be reminded to bring and wear their own cloth/fabric masks. In cases where a patient or visitor does not have a mask, an area should provide a one-time mask for the individual.