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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has clarified the Government's stance on face masks as flu hospitalisations soar across the country.

An average of 2,660 patients per day were in a hospital bed with flu last week - up 55 per cent from last week, with the NHS warning of a 'super flu' driving the health service into a 'worst case scenario' situation for December.

An NHS leader said earlier this week that anyone with cold or flu symptoms should wear a mask in public. Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said the country is seeing a 'very nasty strain' of flu that has occurred earlier in the year than normal.

He told Times Radio that if people are coughing and sneezing, but are well enough to go to work, they 'must wear a m

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