Health Ministry Recommends Use of Masks in Health Centres and Hospitals Amid Rising Infections

The Health Ministry recommends the use of surgical masks in public health centres and hospitals due to the rise in respiratory virus infections. Read more about the increase in cases. Health departments have been instructed by the Directorate General of Public Health to carry masks as preventive measures.

Although the epidemic level is low, with 787 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the Community, the Health Ministry deems it appropriate to recommend mask usage in various situations, such as symptomatic individuals in shared spaces.

Similarly, mask use is advised for professionals attending symptomatic cases, as well as all patients and staff in vulnerable hospital areas like chemotherapy treatment rooms, transplant units, intensive care units, and similar settings, including hospital and primary care emergencies.

The document from the Health Ministry states that these measures may be extended to areas where patients and families gather, if the centre's management deems it necessary, based on risk assessment and each centre's action plan. Therefore, depending on the centre's characteristics and capacity, internal control circuits for respiratory virus transmission, mask use, and continuity of care measures will be applied, according to the Preventive Medicine Service's criteria.

These measures by the Health Ministry are outlined in the Contingency Plan for increases in acute respiratory infection incidence. This plan has been communicated to all health departments and defines various strategies to ensure continuity of healthcare during these seasonal respiratory virus epidemics.

The main objective of this plan is to "define recommendations and actions associated with risk scenarios based on transmissibility data and the characteristics and operational capacities of the Valencian Health System's healthcare centres."

The Contingency Plan also establishes that vaccination against flu and other respiratory infections remains "a cornerstone" as a preventive measure. The Health Ministry reminds that Health Centres have been vaccinating against flu and COVID-19 since November 3, after starting with the highest-risk groups during the first month of the campaign.

In this regard, it is worth noting that the Health Ministry has strengthened vaccination circuits in all departments and facilitated digital access by extending Primary Care hours. Additionally, an SMS messaging system has been activated to remind priority groups of their appointment availability, and vaccination has been enhanced in specific settings such as nursing homes, schools, special education centres, and day centres.