Hospitals in parts of the UK have been forced to reintroduce mask mandates this week as Covid cases soar, with Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital in Stafford now requiring masks in clinical areas for patients, visitors, and staff.

       The BBC has reported that Worcestershire's Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has deemed the measure essential "to protect patients, their loved ones and hospital staff."

       Currently grappling with 65 Covid-19 patients, the highest since December 2023, the trust has noted a worrying trend of more severe illnesses, leading to longer hospital stays.

       In Staffordshire, the situation is equally dire, with 108 patients battling the virus and two wards at Royal Stoke Hospital completely occupied by those affected.

       The surge is attributed to new variants identified as JN1, KP1, KP2, and KP3. Recent statistics from the UK Health Security Agency indicate a significant increase in Covid hospitalisations, jumping to 3.31 per 100,000 people from 2.67 in the preceding week, reports the Liverpool Echo.

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       Professor Danny Altmann from Imperial College London expressed his concerns to The Guardian, stating: "There seems to be consensus that we are in a period of rising breakthrough infections and hospitalisations. This is certainly a subject of ongoing concern and need for vigilance."

       Prof Paul Hunter, a specialist from the University of East Anglia, suggested that the prevalence of cases in elderly populations may hint at a loss of immunity from vaccinations and previous virus exposure. As evidence, he pointed out that only 65% of those over 75 years of age took up the springtime vaccination booster.

       Meanwhile, Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA said: "If you are showing symptoms of Covid-19 or flu, help protect others by staying at home and avoiding contact with other people, especially those who are more vulnerable. If you do need to leave home, consider wearing a mask."