Some people are urging people to start wearing masks again as we head into the winter season.
Swiss Covid experts say the public will have to wear masks again, just three years after the Covid-19 pandemic officially ended. It comes as Covid cases continue to rise in the UK, with an overall surge in virus infections expected over the winter months.
Swiss immunologists have emphasized that wearing face masks could help reduce the spread of viruses such as COVID-19. The advice is primarily aimed at people most vulnerable to serious illness from viral infection, such as older people and people with weakened immune systems, but it also states that non-vulnerable people can wear masks as well.
At the height of the pandemic in the UK, the government at the time launched mandatory rules requiring people to wear face coverings in certain public places where the risk of spreading the virus was highest. This included shops, supermarkets, public transport and NHS settings.
Tanja Stadler, an epidemiologist at ETH Zurich and chair of the Swiss Confederation’s Covid Science Task Force, said in an interview with SonntagsZeitung: “In crowded and confined spaces, such as public transport, it is recommended for vulnerable people, namely those over 65 years of age or with a compromised immune system. Non-vulnerable people can also protect themselves from problematic infections while also showing solidarity with others.”
But Standler emphasized that he is not urging governments to implement another mandatory face mask ruling like the one at the height of the pandemic. Instead, she said authorities should create virus bulletins to help alert people to potential virus hotspots.
She added: “Data on the spread of the virus already exists, but is not easily accessible to the public. Making it public will help those who want to protect themselves act accordingly.”
Likewise, Marcel Tanner, professor emeritus of public health at the University of Basel and former member of the coronavirus task force, said: “Based on everything we have learned, it would be logical for anyone with a cold to wear a mask, at least on public transport.”
Current Covid situation in the UK
The latest data from the UK Health and Safety Executive (UKHSA) shows a significant rise in Covid-19 cases each week since 3 October. There were 2,459 newly confirmed cases in the week to September 24.
In the year to September 10, cases across England had risen by 7.6% compared to the previous week. Most of these new cases are caused by the new Stratus coronavirus variant, of which there are two variants: XFG and XFG.3.
This new variant has attracted attention because it has the potential to cause quite severe hoarseness along with common symptoms such as fever and fatigue. But experts stressed that current data gives no reason to believe the current variant is more lethal than others currently in circulation.
UKHSA’s Dr Allen said: “Based on the information available to date, there is no evidence that the XFG and XFG.3 variants cause more severe disease than previous variants or that the vaccines currently in use are less effective against them.”
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) says XFG strands pose a ‘low risk’ globally. “XFG is growing faster than its co-circulating variants globally. However, XFG represents only a minor additional immune evasion compared to (other variant) LP.8.1.
“Although increased cases and hospitalizations have been reported in some of the countries with the highest rates of XFG (in the Southeast Asia region), there are no reports of higher associated disease severity compared to other circulating strains. The available evidence for
