Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals reintroduce mandatory mask wearing amid rising infections
Mandatory mask wearing is being brought back in at Shropshire's main hospitals.
Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has announced the policy for both its sites – Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.
The change marks a return to compulsory mask wearing, which had been in place for the majority of the pandemic.
The trust said that the policy would not apply to those who are medically exempt – but added that it discouraged those people from visiting the sites.
The move comes amid huge pressure on the NHS in Shropshire, and across the country.
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A statement from SaTH said: "As Covid-19, flu and other respiratory infection rates in our local communities rise, and we continue to see new cases in our hospitals, it is vital that we all stay vigilant and help to keep each other and our patients safe.
"This is why we have made the decision to re-introduce mandatory mask-wearing, unless medically exempt."
The policy states that "staff, patients and visitors must wear hospital-supplied Type IIR surgical masks in all clinical and public areas in the main buildings at Princess Royal Hospital, Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. This includes all adjacent areas, the main corridors, reception areas and waiting areas".
It adds that "visitors who are medically exempt from wearing face masks are discouraged from visiting, especially where their visit would take them into areas where immunocompromised patients are present, and cohorted areas".
Under the changes inpatients are "encouraged to wear masks unless they are medically exempt or unable due to interference with their treatment".
People are also asked to wash and sanitise their hands regularly.
