cases.
According to the NHS Lewisham and Greenwich Trust, the move has been introduced to "protect our communities from these viruses".
Face coverings are currently compulsory for staff members who interact with patients and visitors in areas where patients are present.
In the boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich - including University Hospital Lewisham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Queen Mary’s Hospital, and other community sites - will be asked to wear masks, with dispensers providing masks at most main entrances.
In response to an increase in respiratory infections, which typically occurs during the winter months, various health institutions across the country have implemented uniform face mask guidelines.
Face masks are being issued to people working in the "emergency zone" at Salisbury District Hospital in Wiltshire. Meanwhile, the hospital is asking staff to wear face masks on wards where patients are showing flu-like symptoms.
The steady increase in face mask usage in UK health facilities comes at a time when the country is dealing with a significant rise in flu cases that are putting further strain on the health care system.
As of this week, a total of eight hospitals have been forced to declare critical incidents because they are struggling to cope with "exceptionally high demands" and a sudden increase in the number of patients.
There has been a rise in the number of patients with respiratory infections at these facilities, leading to an increase in hospital wait times, which is putting a strain on healthcare staff and services.
He expressed "shame" at the prolonged waits and delays in the UK's healthcare systems, describing flu as a "major issue."
It really saddens me because… I've witnessed it firsthand when I've been accompanying paramedics on their shifts – we're transporting people by ambulance to accident and emergency units where they're likely to be admitted and receive palliative care because unfortunately, the necessary end-of-life care isn't on offer at the right time and in the right setting.
Mr Streeting also promised to "ensure that each year, we see a steady improvement", yet noted that it will "require time".
According to NHS England data from the beginning of 2025, hospital patients with flu "quadrupled" in the days leading up to New Year.
Cases of flu were 3.5 times as high towards the end of 2024 as they had been the year before.
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