Calls to bring back face masks to combat new COVID-19 variant
Posted 04 January 2024 - 14:30
NHS receives calls to reintroduce personal protective equipment as per WHO advice in response to rising cases of the JN.1 variant of the COVID-19 virus
Health services across the country must reintroduce mask wearing and other personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect healthcare staff against a new strain of COVID-19, a nursing union has said.
RCN calls for NHS to reintroduce face masks as per WHO guidance
The RCN has written to the chief nursing officers (CNO) of all four UK nations, as well as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), to demand action is taken in light of a new variant of the virus called JN.1 and a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.
In December, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified JN.1 as a separate variant of interest due to its ‘rapidly increasing spread’ around the world. WHO advised healthcare workers and organisations to implement the use of face masks in healthcare settings, as well as respirators and other PPE for staff caring for patients with COVID-19.
The RCN is calling on all healthcare organisations across the country to implement the WHO recommendations and put appropriate protections for staff and patients in place.
Nursing care will be compromised without proper protections, warns RCN
An RCN spokesperson said: ‘The existing national infection prevention and control manuals don’t require standardised masking for COVID-19, and decisions on respiratory protective equipment are left to local risk assessments. This is now inconsistent with WHO’s latest advice.
‘We also have concerns about the adequacy of ventilation in general wards and outpatient areas within hospital buildings and believe that action must be taken to assess and improve this.
‘Figures show that there has been a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalisations and the RCN argues that without proper protections, ill health could continue to rise in nursing staff and affect their ability to deliver safe and effective patient care.’
Rising number of COVID cases adds to winter pressures
Latest figures suggest around one in 24 people in England and Scotland tested positive for COVID in mid-December, up from one in 50 at the start of the month. The data was published as part of a new winter COVID-19 infection study, which will monitor prevalence of the virus every fortnight for England and Scotland until March.
While evidence suggests the public health risk from the new variant is low, the WHO has warned the onset of winter could increase respiratory illnesses.
On 2 January NHS England warned of significant winter pressures from seasonal illness including COVID-19 and flu, with hospitalisations from flu rising to an average of 942 each day in the past week, almost six times higher than the week before.
Health bodies say they will continue to monitor the evidence
The UKHSA confirmed decisions on mask wearing and other protective measures were down to local NHS organisations, but said it would continue to monitor latest scientific evidence and provide advice to NHS England accordingly.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said its CNO Alex McMahon had replied to the RCN’s letter and the Antimicrobial Resistance Healthcare Associated Infection Scotland team was reviewing WHO’s guidance.
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