From Monday (April 17) visitors to St Mary’s Hospital and other sites are once again no longer required to wear face masks in most clinical areas, unless it is their personal preference to do so.
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust is requesting that the wearing of face masks continues where immunocompromised patients are treated for example in oncology, haematology, intensive care and chemotherapy departments.
These changes have been made due to the rate of positive Covid-19 cases remaining at a consistently low level in the community, and is in line with national guidance on the mandated use of face masks in healthcare settings.
A spokesperson for the IW NHS Trust said:
"It remains a priority to help to keep patients and our community safe and in order to continue to protect those who are vulnerable and of high risk."
The following guidelines have been put in place:
- Visitors who are immunocompromised should continue to wear a mask if this can be tolerated
- Visitors may be asked to wear a face mask for specific reasons including in ‘higher risk’ clinical areas
- Vulnerable and high-risk patients and visitors can ask staff members to wear a face mask — available on-site
- All visitors should continue to sanitise their hands on entering and leaving the hospital and ward or department.
- Visitors should stay away if they have respiratory or Covid-19 symptoms
Juliet Pearce, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs said:
“Thank you to everyone who has helped us to keep our vulnerable patients and staff safe by following the infection control guidance in our organisation.
"The decision to stand down the use of mask wearing in our clinical areas is in response to the number of cases remaining at a low level on the Island.
“We will continue to monitor the level of COVID-19 in our community and our guidance may change again at any time should we see an increase in cases.”
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