The requirement to social distance in GP surgeries and NHS hospital waiting areas in England has now been scrapped. According to new coronavirus guidance, both patients and staff no longer need to keep their distance from one another when in NHS settings.
NHS organisations in England have been instructed to return to 'pre-pandemic physical distancing in all areas' but people will still be encouraged to wear face masks. The new guidance covers all areas including emergency departments and other hospital settings, ambulances, patient transport services and GP surgeries.
The guidance states that patients and staff should continue to 'practise good hand and respiratory hygiene', including using face masks or coverings where 'clinically tolerated'.
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In a letter to local health leaders, NHS England bosses said the rules need to 'adapt' with Covid-19 as the virus is 'likely to remain endemic for some time.'
The guidance also sets out further changes to coronavirus measures in hospitals including changes to cleaning protocols and isolation periods.
The amount of time that patients with Covid will have to isolate for has now been reduced to a week instead of 10 days. Those exposed to the virus but without symptoms will no longer be required to isolate at all.
The new infection control guidance comes as the NHS has been working to tackle the backlog of patients whose appointments were pushed back by the pandemic. The number of people in England waiting to start routine hospital treatment has climbed to a record 6.2 million.
Asked in Parliament, on Tuesday afternoon about backlogs in the NHS, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: "The NHS and social care are facing unprecedented pressure because of the pandemic.
"In NHS settings and adult social care, there has been a necessity for infection-protection controls.
"Staff absences have been higher than in normal times but the NHS has been stepping forward to bring support with the record funding that the government is providing both to the NHS and to adult social care."
