Yahoo News Masks mandatory again in some UK places amid Covid cases surge
Masks have been reintroduced at some UK hospitals this week as Covid cases spike.
The Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital in Stafford have reinstated mask-wearing in clinical areas for patients, visitors, and staff. The BBC has reported that Worcestershire's Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is enforcing masks again "to protect patients, their loved ones and hospital staff."
Currently, the trust is dealing with 65 Covid-19 patients, marking the highest figure since December 2023. The data suggests that patients are experiencing more severe illnesses, leading to longer hospital stays.
READ MORE: 'We will all catch Covid again' warns expert as UKHSA issues 'stay at home' plea
In Staffordshire, the patient count has reached 108, with two wards at the Royal Stoke Hospital completely occupied by those suffering from the virus. The surge is attributed to new Covid variants named JN1, KP1, KP2, and KP3.
Recent stats from the UK Health Security Agency indicate a rise in Covid hospitalisations to 3.31 per 100,000 people, up from 2.67 per 100,000 last week. Professor Danny Altmann from Imperial College London expressed his concerns to The Guardian, saying: "There seems to be consensus that we are in a period of rising breakthrough infections and hospitalisations.
"This is certainly a subject of ongoing concern and need for vigilance."
Prof Paul Hunter from the University of East Anglia warned that the large number of cases among the elderly might indicate a waning immunity from vaccines and previous infections, noting that only 65% of over-75s had taken up the spring booster.
In the meantime, Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, urged: "If you are showing symptoms of Covid-19 or flu, help protect others by staying at home and avoiding contact with other people, especially those who are more vulnerable. If you do need to leave home, consider wearing a mask."
