NHS hospitals reintroduce face mask requirement as soaring flu cases see critical incidents declared

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Multiple NHS hospitals have reintroduced a requirement to wear face masks in clinical areas as they declared critical incidents due to surging demand and winter viruses. Ed Cetti, chief medical officer at the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said: “Due to high levels of demand and a sharp increase in winter viruses which is impacting staffing levels and how we move patients around our site, our services are under significant pressure. This will help ensure emergency care is available to patients who need it most.” open image in gallery A general view of staff on a NHS hospital ward In a bid to curb the spread of winter viruses such as flu and norovirus, visitors to the East Surrey Hospital are also being asked to wash their hands regularly, reduce their movement around the site, and wear masks in clinical areas for the first time this winter. Vowing to keep these measures under regular review and fully reintroduce visiting as soon as possible, she added: “We also urge everyone who is eligible to get their winter vaccinations, as it is not too late and this is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones.” open image in gallery The best way to protect yourself and loved ones is to get your winter vaccinations, Shrewsbury and Telford’s interim chief nursing officer said They are not the first hospitals to bring in face mask requirements this winter, with hospitals in Lincolnshire doing so in mid-December due to an increase in Covid-19, flu and RSV.