Hospital in Spain's Valencia region brings back face masks after increase in Covid cases

The Hospital Doctor Peset in Valencia has reintroduced the use of face masks in certain departments due to the increase in cases of Covid. This has been confirmed by sources from the regional Ministry of Health, which has indicated that the measure is being taken for an indefinite period of time.

The areas affected by the measure are accident and emergency departments, resuscitation, oncology and the intensive care unit. Barely a month and a half after the abolition of the mandatory use of face masks in healthcare centres, the hospital has been forced to resume this protective measure.

The hospital has availed itself of the order of 4 July, which published the government Cabinet's agreement declaring the end of the health crisis situation. The order referred to the possible need to reinforce protection measures, following any case of an increase in infections, according to the risk assessment of each centre, said sources from the regional Ministry of Health.

The same sources pointed out that although it was decreed that face masks should no longer be compulsory in hospitals, it did recommend reinforcing the use of protection for symptomatic people when they are in shared spaces. It also referred to health professionals if they attend to symptomatic cases and to those working in intensive care units and in units with vulnerable patients.

As reported by Las Provincias newspaper, in recent weeks there has been an increase in the number of Covid cases in the Valencia region. Specifically, the number of infections doubled in the last weeks of July to reach the levels of last February.

This situation is compounded by the fact that the last dose of the vaccine adapted to the new variants was administered to barely half of Valencians between 60 and 69 years of age and just over 70% of those over 70 years of age in the campaign that took place last February.

All these factors are compounded by the fact that there is an increase in mobility in summer and meetings with family and friends during the summer holidays. Although, for the moment, this increase in cases is not having a significant impact on health centres.

This new upturn puts an end to the downward trend that started at the beginning of June and followed the ups and downs since April. There has also been a recent upturn in the sale of the Covid test in pharmacies, especially at the end of July.