Experts have warned of an increase in cases, believed to be the fifth wave, with one in 40 people in the UK being positive for the virus. Meanwhile, the latest NHS figures show more than 8,000 patients with Covid in wards after being warned of a “harmful” effect on hospital waiting times In response, three major hospital trusts told staff they had to wear masks, with warnings to follow if the NHS were to handle another wave of Covid. In June, NHS England, following instructions from the UK Health Insurance Agency, informed hospitals and medical practices that the masks were no longer a must, while hospitals in Wales withdrew the rules in May. The rise in outbreaks has prompted at least seven hospitals across England to wear on-site staff masks as of Tuesday. Cases in hospitals across the UK rose by more than a third and infections in the community soared to 1.7 million last week. The latest NHS figures show that the number of Covid patients in hospitals across the UK jumped from 1,011 on Saturday to 1,276 the next day, while the number of hospital beds occupied by positive patients reached 8,120. Major summer events like Glastonbury could have a big impact on rates, he has been warned, with 1.7 million people reported having Covid last week. Dr. Tim Cooksley, president of the Society of Acute Medicine, told the Independent: “In the last two years, Covid has highlighted and exacerbated what has been an already growing crisis. “High levels of staff absenteeism, exhaustion and low morale have dominated staff landscapes during this period and continue to do so. Future waves and potentially large numbers of upcoming flu cases will only help to deepen these problems, making patients’, clinicians’ and policymakers’ hopes for selective recovery seem somewhat fantastic. “Sajid Javid commented last week that there are no short-term solutions to the current challenges. This is not controversial. However, with current crisis levels and further Covid waves that may have further detrimental effects on waiting times and patient experience. It is important to start investing in labor and capacity now to prevent the crisis from deepening further. “Worse than the current situation is a scary thought.” The Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, which has two locations, told staff Monday that the masks should now be worn in all areas facing patients “with Covid growing in the local community and in hospitals”. The Trust confirmed that it has 158 people with Covid and 62 patients with the virus in its hospitals – up from 37 on June 13. The North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, which covers three hospitals, has also reinstated mask use rules for increased risk of Covid, while Torbay and South Devon hospitals asked patients on Tuesday to start wearing masks after the ban was lifted on June 10. Health authorities in Wales reinstated masks for staff and visitors “with immediate effect” after the requirement was lifted in May. On Friday, NHS Lothian in Scotland urged patients to start wearing masks again after warning that one-fifth of nursing staff were ill with Covid. An analysis by Dr. Tom Lawton, a consultant and anesthesiologist at Bradford Teaching Hospital, published in The Independent shows that in some trusts more than 200 patients may have been stuck with Covid in the hospital for the past 28 days. The Clinically Vulnerable Families group, which represents patients across the country, told the Independent that a poll of their members revealed that hundreds said they would be reconsidered for hospital treatment because of the increased risks of Covid. The latest figures from the National Statistics Office show that a total of 264 deaths from Covid-19 were recorded in the seven days to June 17, slightly lower than 284 last week. Death toll has not yet risen, but Covid Actuaries Reaction Team said Monday that Covid deaths are likely to rise. Dr Helen Salisbury, of the Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergency, told the Independent that she could not see the rationale for healthcare providers abandoning the requirement to wear masks and warned that it posed a risk to the most vulnerable. He added: “Masks reduce infection … if you increase the rate of infection, you have more staff or it becomes more and more difficult to run your hospital if your staff becomes infected and has to stop working.” The warning comes as a public inquiry into Covid-19, chaired by Baroness Hallett, was officially launched by the government on Tuesday. A CUH spokesman said: “Our position from the outset has been to monitor, monitor and respond to changing community infection rates and the number of Covid patients treated to keep our patients, staff and visitors safe. For this reason, everyone, including patients, is required to wear a mask in clinical settings. This does not currently include non-clinical areas such as the main reception, meeting room, dining areas and corridors. “
