Mask usage to continue after the pandemic

With the easing of restrictions and loosening of mask wearing rules many people are looking forward to returning to normal. But what is normal and should have it ever been normal? The pandemic has taught us some valuable lessons in infection control and prevention which has made us question if how we operated before the pandemic was actually in the best interest of our patients.

Pre-Covid it was normal for patients to sit in a waiting room with multiple symptomatic individuals. Individuals that came in to see a doctor about flu or other easily transmissible diseases sitting in proximity of those vulnerable with Asthma.

So should things return to normal? We don’t think so.

Mask wearing has proven to help prevent the spread of transmissible diseases like Covid-19 and therefore we will continue to encourage their use in our waiting areas and clinical areas.

Following the pandemic we are recommending the following to our patients and our staff.

Our Patients

• We heavily encourage and recommend patients continue to wear masks to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in our waiting areas and to keep our doctors safe and healthy.
• Patients are able to come in with queries to our reception but we highly recommend using our online services where possible.

Our Staff

• Our clinical staff will continue to wear masks in clinical areas.
• Our admin staff will no longer wear masks in admin areas unless they have some minor illness symptoms (like a sneezing or a cough).
• All staff will continue to wear masks whilst passing through public areas.