<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><item href="/news-events/downstate-update/2026/april/04-24-influenza-nys.html" dsn="blogs"><featured/><categories>Downstate Health</categories><pubDate>04/24/2026 01:20:16 PM</pubDate><title>New York State Department of Health Declares Influenza is No Longer Prevalent in New York</title><sub-title/><description>As of Thursday, April 23, 2026, the NYS Commissioner of Health has declared that influenza is no longer prevalent in New York State for the 2025–2026 season. Accordingly, under the state sanitary code, healthcare facilities are no longer required to ensure that unvaccinated staff wear masks in all clinical areas. Masks should continue to be used as appropriate, in accordance with hospital isolation policies.</description><author>University Hospital at Downstate</author><image><img xmlns:ouc="http://omniupdate.com/XSL/Variables" src="" alt=""/></image><loc>/var/staging/oucampus/suny-downstate/downstate/news-events/downstate-update/2026/april/04-24-influenza-nys.xml</loc><tags><tag>Downstate Health</tag></tags><categories><category>Downstate Health</category></categories></item>