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Reston Hospital Center is strongly encouraging patients with flu-like symptoms to wear masks as influenza and other respiratory illnesses continue circulating across Virginia.
The guidance applies to patients experiencing coughing, sneezing, fever or a runny nose. Those who are able to mask should do so and alert front desk staff when arriving at a provider’s office, urgent care center or emergency department.
HCA Virginia announced the updated protocols Monday. They cover Reston Hospital Center at 1850 Town Center Parkway and Dominion Hospital, a freestanding mental health facility at 2960 Sleepy Hollow Road in Seven Corners. HCA Virginia also operates an emergency room in Tysons.
The recommendation applies even to patients who received their annual flu vaccine. Masks will be provided when needed, and patients seeking medical attention are urged not to delay care because they have respiratory symptoms.
The policy is less restrictive than Inova’s approach. Since Dec. 29, 2025, Inova has required everyone to wear masks in high-risk areas, including emergency departments and urgent care centers.
Flu cases in Fairfax County appear to have declined after reaching a peak in late December, while overall respiratory illness activity is currently classified as low. However, the 2024-2025 flu season also saw cases fall in January before rising again in early February.
During the week ending Jan. 10, respiratory illnesses accounted for roughly 19.2% of Virginia emergency department visits. State health officials also reported the season’s first pediatric flu death, involving a preschool-aged child.
Flu season typically runs from October through March. This winter has been complicated by H3N2 subclade K, a strain that differs from the version targeted by current vaccines and may leave more people vulnerable to infection.
Federal health guidance has also shifted. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., withdrew longstanding recommendations for children to receive flu and certain other vaccines. Childhood flu vaccination rates were already declining, and public health experts have warned that the changes could contribute to more illness in future years.
Health officials continue to describe vaccination as the most effective protection against severe flu, although vaccinated people can still contract and spread the virus. Wearing a mask while symptomatic adds another layer of protection.
Other recommended precautions include frequent handwashing, staying home while sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and receiving an annual flu vaccine.
Common flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, muscle aches, chills and fatigue. Some patients may also experience vomiting or diarrhea.
People without serious or life-threatening symptoms are encouraged to seek treatment from a primary care doctor or urgent care center instead of an emergency department. That can help preserve emergency capacity for patients with severe illnesses or injuries.
Patients and visitors with flu-like symptoms should also consider postponing nonessential visits to hospitalized loved ones. Because infected people can spread influenza before their symptoms become obvious, early precautions can help limit transmission.