Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report entitled Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses published on 30 January 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of that report's recommendations on wearing of face masks; and if he will make it his policy that no patients or visitors are required to wear face masks in NHS settings.

The Government is aware of the Cochrane Review published on 30 January 2023, which concludes that there is uncertainty about whether wearing masks helps to slow the spread of respiratory viruses based on the studies assessed.

The National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM), published in April 2022, is consistent with the recommendations in the Cochrane Review. The NIPCM is used by healthcare providers in all healthcare settings in England and is complemented by pathogen/disease specific guidance produced by UKHSA.

The NIPCM does not require patients or visitors to NHS settings to routinely wear a face mask. However, there are some circumstances where it is recommended by a local risk assessment that patients and visitors to care settings wear masks. For example, where patients are at high risk of infection due to immunosuppression.