15th August 2020
Face coverings are required when entering all Belfast Trust facilities. This is to help ensure the safety of our patients, clients, staff and visitors.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) usually spreads by droplets from coughs, sneezes and speaking. These droplets can also be picked up from surfaces, if you touch a surface and then your face without washing your hands first.
This is why social distancing, regular hand hygiene, and covering coughs and sneezes is important in controlling the spread of the virus.
The best available scientific evidence is that, when used correctly, wearing a face covering may reduce the spread of coronavirus droplets in certain circumstances, helping to protect others.
Because face coverings are mainly intended to protect others, not the wearer, from coronavirus (COVID-19) they’re not a replacement for social distancing and regular hand washing.
Face covering exemptions
If you have a condition (for example, a disease such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis) which means you cannot wear a face covering you only need to say, if asked, that you cannot wear a face covering because you are exempt.
It is important that we all respect one another and remember that the reasons for not wearing a face covering may not always be visible.
If you do not wear a face covering and you are not under 13 or have a reasonable excuse for not wearing one.