People asked to wear face masks in hospitals as flu cases rise

Hospitals across parts of the West of England are asking people to put masks back on as flu cases surge earlier than expected. The request applies to staff, patients, and visitors, with masks available at entrances and an emphasis on those who are able to wear them. Leaders warn the NHS is confronting a record high for this point in the calendar, even if overall levels may still fit within a “normal” winter season. The aim is straightforward: reduce transmission inside hospitals and protect the most vulnerable. It’s a familiar measure, returning not out of panic but out of pragmatism as pressure builds.

Where Masks Are Now Required

Several hospitals have introduced mask-wearing in A&E and other high-traffic clinical areas. The Royal United Hospital (RUH) Bath, Cheltenham General, and Gloucestershire Royal are among those asking people to wear face coverings in specified departments. Hospitals in Wiltshire brought in similar measures last week. The policy is simple: masks are provided at the door, and those who can wear one are asked to do so. This is about limiting spread at the point of care, where space is tight and the stakes are high. Staff are setting the tone, but visitors have a crucial role too. Quiet compliance helps keep wards open and patient flow steady.

Hospitals stress that requests are targeted, not blanket edicts. Masking applies in designated areas, with signage to guide people and make expectations clear. A&E is a priority given fast turnover and unpredictable demand. Elsewhere, departments with high numbers of clinically vulnerable patients are being protected by routine face covering. It is a modest inconvenience, but an effective one when viral circulation is high in the community. And for anyone anxious about access, hospitals are reassuring the public: masks are free, readily available, and staff can advise on correct use. The message is consistent and calm—help us to help you.

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Why The Flu Season Has Come Early

England is seeing an earlier-than-usual influenza upswing. Virologist Dr Chris Smith notes that while numbers are high for the time of year, they are not high for a typical peak in a normal flu season. What’s unusual is timing. “It does happen but most of the time it happens in late-December or early-January,” he says. “But this year we have got the season starting a bit earlier.” That shift matters. It pulls pressure forward, testing hospitals while other winter demands—falls, fractures, chronic illness flare-ups—are also rising.

Why now? Two factors stand out. A different circulating strain compared with last season and a recent cold snap that pushes people indoors, where respiratory viruses spread swiftly. We also have more people who are currently vulnerable, creating a wider pool for transmission. The cumulative effect is obvious in admissions and bed occupancy. Flu patients in hospital are at record levels for this time of year, and community surveillance suggests sustained, not sporadic, spread. Importantly, scientists caution against easy predictions. An early start doesn’t guarantee an early finish. The curve could plateau. Or not. Planning must assume both possibilities.

Guidance For Visitors, Patients, And Staff

The ask is clear. If you have flu-like symptoms, do not visit loved ones in hospital. That plea, echoed by Dr Smith and hospital leaders, protects not just the person you are visiting but entire wards. Symptomatic visitors can seed outbreaks that force bays to close and appointments to be postponed. For everyone else, the guidance is practical: use the mask offered at the door in designated areas, wear it properly over nose and mouth, and dispose of it sensibly after use. It’s a small action with significant upside when viruses are circulating widely.

Staff are modelling best practice, but patients and visitors can make the decisive difference. Follow signage, respect exemptions, and keep face coverings on in A&E and named clinical spaces. Bring patience; some waits may lengthen as teams separate respiratory and non-respiratory cases. If in doubt, ask a member of staff. Crucially, remember that not everyone can wear a mask—and not all disabilities are visible. The ultimate goal is shared: keep care safe, keep services running, and keep vulnerable people out of harm’s way. A little courtesy, and a little cloth, go a long way.

What The Numbers Suggest And What We Don’t Know

Two datapoints define the moment. First, flu hospitalisations are at a record high for this point in the year. Second, flu cases are 50% higher now than at the same time in 2024. Both indicate an early, energetic season. Yet context matters. Dr Smith stresses that these levels may still sit within the envelope of a “normal” winter peak—just arriving sooner than usual. That timing shift can strain rotas, beds, and discharge pathways. But it also offers an opportunity: early community awareness, early caution, and early mitigation inside hospitals.

What remains uncertain is the trajectory. It is not easy to tell whether an early start means an earlier finish. Historically, some seasons peak quickly and fade; others undulate, stretched by school terms, weather patterns, and the interplay of multiple respiratory viruses. The current cold snap, changes in strain, and the size of the susceptible population will shape the weeks ahead. For now, hospitals are acting on the evidence in front of them. Masks in targeted settings. Sensible visitor advice. And a steady drumbeat of public messaging designed to protect capacity when it’s needed most.

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Mask requests at hospitals are not a throwback, but a practical response to an early flu surge. The policy is narrow, evidence-informed, and geared toward protecting people at their most vulnerable moments. As cases rise, small personal choices—staying home when ill, masking where asked—scale into real protection for patients and staff. The coming weeks will tell us whether the season crests early or lingers into the new year. In the meantime, will you carry a mask to your next hospital visit and help keep wards safer for everyone?

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