Flu surge ‘will peak in 10 days’ as UK hospitals bring back face masks to protect against ‘quad-demic’
A FLU surge is expected to peak in 10 days, as several major UK hospitals bring back Covid-style restrictions.
Mandatory face masks are back as hospitals respond to a wave of patients battling a "quad-demic" of converging winter illnesses.
This have has led other hospitals to plead with patients to not visit A&E unless absolutely necessary, as they face "exceptionally high demand".
The combination of the flu, Covid-19, a cold-causing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus has broken out this winter.
A Welsh health board issued a stark warning as to when the nation could expect to see the worst of one of these winter illnesses.
The Cardiff and Vale health board said the flu surge could "peak within the next 10 days", according to .
Read more on quad-emic
The UK Health Security Agency's most recent report showed cases of Covid and RSV - which causes colds and serious lung infections - stabilising, while flu and vomiting bug infections surged in the weeks before Christmas.
The risk of catching the four illnesses rises sharply at this time of year as people spend more time indoors with friends and family.
During the pandemic, wearing face masks became mandatory in hospitals and other public places to prevent the spread of Covid.
Masks help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses by trapping droplets from coughing, sneezing, or talking.
They also protect wearers from inhaling droplets containing viruses.
The deputy director of Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board, Richard Hughes, revealed why visitors to it's emergency departments have been asked to wear face masks.
The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust stated: "Rising colleague absences due to seasonal illnesses, combined with more patient cases, significantly impact how quickly we can deliver timely care."
On Friday, hospitals in Lincolnshire began reintroducing face masks for patients and visitors in certain areas.
"This infection prevention measure is being reintroduced in high-risk areas due to increased cases of Covid-19, Influenza A, and RSV in hospitals and community settings," United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust stated.
'Stay away'
Royal Stoke University Hospital has declared its eighth critical incident of the year due to "increasing pressure" in A&E departments.
Patients have been warned of longer delays than usual while efforts are being made to discharge people to ease bed-blocking.
On Thursday, December 19 patients turning up at A&E were expected to wait over four hours to be seen.
The hospital's first critical incident was announced in November last year.
The declaration also involves County Hospital in Stafford - both of which are run by University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM).
Meanwhile, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University health Board put out an urgent warning this week that services and emergency departments at Royal Glamorgan, Prince Charles and Princess of Wales hospitals are exceptionally busy.
It said with hospital beds already occupied and emergency departments seeing a higher than normal attendance from people seeking care, they're looking to the public for their support.
Visiting restrictions on two wards at Noble's Hospital in the Isle of Man, initially imposed due to a "significant increase" in norovirus cases, have now been lifted.
Two other hospitals that declared critical incidents this week were The Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital.
At this time there are for norovirus – though some are in development.
So the from norovirus is to properly sanitise your hands, cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, dispose of tissues, let fresh air circulate and stay home if you’re unwell.
of the RSV vaccine may also mean some vulnerable people received it too late this year to be protected.
In a statement published on Monday 16 December, the trust said: "Beds across both hospitals are full and attendance at our emergency departments is extremely high."
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Patients with non-urgent issues have been warned they could face "extremely long waits" in A&E.
Instead, they should contact 111 or visit a GP, pharmacy, or urgent treatment centre.