Face masks to be worn at Newtown Hospital

Visitors to Newtown and other local hospitals are being asked to wear face masks as a new Covid-19 outbreak sweeps across the area.

The issue was highlighted at the health board’s annual meeting when a member of the public asked: why has the health board reintroduced the wearing of face masks in Powys hospitals?

Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Clare Roche, said: “The reasons that we’ve reintroduced masks is that we have seen rising rates of Covid-19 circulating in our communities in recent weeks.

“We watch really closely and are informed by the data from Public Health Wales which is showing a steep rise in our communities.

“Further significant increases are predicted for the next three to four weeks and we will continuously monitor that situation.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) strongly advise the use of face masks for public health workers, patients and visitors when Covid-19 is circulating in the community and therefore we are following that guidance.”

Mask wearing was a requirement during the Covid pandemic.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter