Patients, staff and visitors no longer have to wear face masks in healthcare settings from Tuesday as Scotland returns to guidance as it was before the Covid-19 pandemic. From May 16, mask use will be based on clinical need based on infection prevention and control advice, and means that people will not be routinely asked to wear facemasks in health and social care settings.
The Scottish Government said that the change recognises that Scotland has entered a calmer phase of the pandemic, more than three years on from when Covid-19 first hit Scotland. It follows a review of guidance introduced during the pandemic when face coverings were routinely worn in health settings, such as hospitals, dental surgeries and GP practices, and in care homes.
However, Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf has stressed that the threat of coronavirus is "not over". He told the PA news agency on Monday: "It's an evolution of the guidance. We are, of course, advised by those experts in infection prevention and control and we'll continue to take their clinical advice, their clinical input in that regard.
