Swiss Covid experts are recommending that the general public should consider wearing face masks again, just a few years after the Covid-19 pandemic officially ended. This advice comes as Covid cases are on the rise in the UK, with an anticipated increase in viral infections during the winter season.
Immunologists from Switzerland have stressed the importance of wearing face masks to help reduce the transmission of viruses like Covid. While the guidance primarily targets individuals at higher risk of severe illness from viral infections, such as the elderly or those with weakened immune systems, it is also suggested that others who are not considered vulnerable may opt to wear masks too.
At the peak of the pandemic in the UK, the government introduced a mandatory rule requiring face coverings in specific public settings where the risk of virus transmission was highest, including shops, supermarkets, public transport, and NHS facilities.
Tanja Stadler, an epidemiologist at ETH Zurich and head of the Swiss Confederation’s Covid scientific task force, advised that in crowded indoor spaces, especially public transportation, it is advisable for vulnerable individuals, such as those over 65 or with compromised immune systems, to wear masks. She also highlighted that even those not in vulnerable categories can protect themselves from infections and demonstrate solidarity with others by using masks.
Stadler emphasized that she is not advocating for governments to enforce mandatory face mask policies like those implemented during the pandemic’s peak. Instead, she suggested creating a virus bulletin to notify people about potential virus hotspots, making existing virus spread data more accessible to the public for informed decision-making.
Similarly, Marcel Tanner, a public health professor at the University of Basel and former member of the Covid Task Force, stated that it would be logical for individuals with cold symptoms to wear masks, especially while using public transportation.
Recent data from the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) indicates a notable increase in weekly Covid cases from October 3. By September 10, there was a 7.6% rise in cases across England compared to the prior week, mainly attributed to the new Stratus strain of Coronavirus with variants XFG and XFG.3.
While the new variant has been linked to a potentially severe hoarse voice along with common symptoms like fever and fatigue, experts have indicated that current data does not suggest it is more fatal than other circulating variants. Dr. Allen from UKHSA stated that existing evidence does not indicate increased severity from the XFG and XFG.3 variants or reduced vaccine effectiveness against them.
The World Health Organization has classified the XFG strain as posing a ‘low risk’ globally, noting that while it is spreading rapidly compared to other variants, it exhibits minimal additional immune evasion over other variants. Reports indicate increased cases in some southeast Asia countries, where XFG is prevalent, but severity is not higher than with other variants in circulation.
Lastly, the World Health Organization mentioned that there are no significant public health risks associated with XFG compared to other descendant lineages of the Omicron variant currently circulating worldwide.