A few days after the NHS lifted the requirement to wear masks in hospitals and doctors’ offices, data show that 19 percent of positive patients in the wards are likely to have been infected with the virus in the hospital. Doctors told the Independent they had struggled to reduce cases in wards, with a warning that “hospitals are enriching the infection”. The data, compiled by the Covid-19 Actuaries Response Group, show that the percentage of people who may be stuck with Covid in the hospital has risen by 29 percent this week, although the data may underestimate the data, given that regular tests have been dropped. Hospitals stopped routine patient testing at admission in May. In the 28 days leading up to June 5, more than 2,267 of the 13,416 patients tested positive in hospitals were likely to have been infected with the virus there, according to analysis by Covid pioneer Dr. Tom Lawton. A doctor, speaking of cases of confidence, told the Independent: “Hospitals can only transmit the infection because staff can not restrict airborne transmission and only need one in the ward, without mechanical ventilation, for lead to dozens of consecutive cases. “I know of a recent outbreak that killed 14 people. “We were not allowed to test all over the ward, so I have no idea how many patients became infected.” The total number of cases in Britain has risen for the first time in two months, with 953,900 coming out positive last week compared to 953,000 last week. Admissions to Covid hospitals rose 38 percent on Friday from the previous week, while infections in the community began to rise in some parts of the country after two months of decline. The rise in Covid imports comes as the NHS remains under extreme pressure, with A&E departments warning that patients face up to 13 hours of waiting. Experts have challenged the decision to end the use of masks in hospitals. Dr Helen Salisbury, of the Independent Scientific Advisory Group on Independent Sage, said it was “disappointing” and that there was no good reason for it. He said: “Clearly there were a lot of Covids that got out of the hospital and a lot of them were not tested for it … there seems to be a pretty central directive, that we generally no longer need masks, which is really, really frustrating. I’m very upset that our local trust does not really say that this is nonsense … I suspect that pressure is being exerted from above. “I do not really know, but there is no good reason to stop using the mask.” A doctor told The Independent: “Unfortunately, the reduction in asymptomatic tests seems to be quite widespread and only by people pushing for out-of-protocol tests do you see results.” Dr Kieran Sharrock, vice-chair of the GP committee at the British Medical Association, said: “It is clear that Covid-19 has not disappeared and so it is good to look at the latest guidelines that describe how important it is, at least. for people with respiratory symptoms, continue to wear masks in healthcare settings “. Speaking to the Independent Sage, Professor Christina Pagel said: “We will have a new wave of infections this month. Now hopefully it will not be as high as the previous waves and may be lower. “But we can not rely on that, and we will see more people get infected anyway.” Professor Pagel said there were currently four variants of the Omicron, “all of which were growing rapidly”, while the previous wave in March was driven by two variants. However, Professor John Edmunds, of the government’s Sage team, said: “It’s very difficult to say where it can and how it can go differently. [infections] it could just hit. “ In a survey of Clinically Vulnerable Families UK, which represents thousands of patients across the country, more than 700 said they were concerned about dropping masks in clinics, while 200 said they would reconsider treatment at NHS facilities. A team spokesman said: “The healthcare facilities are populated mainly by the elderly and those who are clinically vulnerable and still at greater risk of Covid infections. “One-way masks are known to be much less protective, so vulnerable people have to rely on other people to wear masks until other measures, such as Hepa filters for air purification, become widespread.” On Thursday, Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, an epidemiological consultant working for the UK Health Service’s immunization and countermeasures department, said: Covid-19 incidence rates continue to decline, but it remains important to get vaccinated to reduce the risk of serious illness. . If you have not yet been offered a vaccine or have missed your last vaccine, come now. “Recent data show a slight increase in positivity rates and Covid-19 hospitalizations. “These small increases should be interpreted with caution, as the data may be subject to delays due to the holiday season.”
