A major Covid rule has been reintroduced in some areas amid soaring cases and a surge in hospitalisations.
While mask wearing is now a personal choice as opposed to a mandatory rule, some hospitals are requiring their patients to wear a face covering on the premises.
Hospitals in Hampshire, Wales, Cambridge and Cornwall have introduced mandatory masks for patients, staff and visitors.
Dr Lara Alloway, chief medical officer at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said the "significant" rise in Covid cases and the growing rates of staff sickness also meant social distancing was being strongly encouraged.
Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, West Wales, has also banned visitors other than those seeing patients in end-of-life care.
Visiting will also be stopped from Tuesday (July 5), except for end-of-life visits and any considered necessary in agreement with the sister or nurse in charge of the ward, reports the Times
People attending outpatient appointments must do so alone unless they need the assistance of a carer or relative, but a designated partner can attend antenatal appointments or scans and when a mother is admitted in labour. Furthermore, all inpatients attending Withybush Hospital will be tested for Covid-19 on admission.
“We have made the decision to reinforce these measures at Withybush Hospital to reduce the risk to our patients and staff and thank people for their support and co-operation at this time,” said Mandy Rayani, director of nursing, quality and patient experience at Hywel Dda University Health Board.
“While the situation at Withybush Hospital and across our other hospital sites will be reviewed and updated frequently, we can all continue to take protective measures to reduce the risk of transmission of Covid-19 to protect vulnerable people and the NHS.
The health board said it has brought in safety measures at Withybush Hospital following a “formal review of Covid-19 activity” which identified an “increasing prevalence of Covid-19” at the site. The move means that all staff and visitors to the hospital will have to wear masks, unless they are exempt from doing so.
It comes as fears grow that soaring Covid-19 cases could derail families’ summer holiday hopes.
TV doctor Hilary Jones said while UK governments could decide if they wanted to reimpose coronavirus curbs, other countries may reintroduce measures or tests for foreign tourists - including those from Britain.
UK infections are surging, fuelled by the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, while cases are also climbing on the Continent.
Good Morning Britain medic Dr Jones warned: “There are large numbers of cases in Italy at the moment.
“They could say, ‘Right you’re going to need a Covid pass, you’re going to need proof of vaccination or recent infection’ or, ‘You’re going to need a test before you travel’.
“I would say to people who are travelling - look at the foreign travel advice for that country, see if you need a test before you fly and see if your NHS Covid pass works.”
Dr Jones said some Covid measures also need to be taken in the UK as cases rise.
He added: “We’re still in a pandemic, but this is going to become endemic, we’re going to have to live with this virus.
“So while I don’t think we need mandatory precautions such as mask-wearing and other lockdowns, I think what we do want is hand sanitisation to be routine, and I think it’s sensible to give people the advice to wear a mask on a crowded tube train.”
Lib Dem Layla Moran, who chairs Westminster’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus, feared climbing infection rates may hamper sunshine escapes.
