Face masks reintroduced at Wolverhampton and Cannock hospital sites as Covid rates rise
An NHS trust is reintroducing face masks at its hospital sites from Monday due to rising Covid-19 infection rates.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross, West Park and Cannock Chase Hospitals, said it was asking patients and visitors to wear masks in all areas of its three hospitals keep everyone as safe as possible.
The trust cited data from the Office for National Statistics which showed that a total of 2.7 million people in UK households were estimated to have had coronavirus in the last week of June – up 18 per cent from 2.3 million the previous week.
In a statement, the trust said: "Due to a rise in Covid-19 cases within the community, our hospitals and amongst staff, from Monday 11 July we are reintroducing face masks in all areas of the hospital.
"To keep everyone as safe as possible, we request that patients and visitors wear a mask if they are able to."
Professor David Loughton CBE, Chief Executive of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: “For those of us who work in healthcare the message that Covid-19 hasn’t gone away has been a consistent one and we know that the virus will continue to challenge us – as it is now.
“We are seeing a rise in cases within the community, in our hospitals and amongst our workforce, and that has prompted our move, along with national guidance, to reintroduce face masks from today (Monday).
“This applies to all staff, visitors and patients who are able to wear a mask and has been put in place to reduce the risk of transmission. We thank our communities for working with us to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
