PHE statement: face coverings for babies and very young children

Public Health England statement on PHE warning: face coverings for babies and very young children

Professor Viv Bennett, Chief Nurse at Public Health England (PHE) said:

“PHE has been made aware that face coverings for babies and very young children are available for sale in England. Guidance is clear that children under the age of three years should not wear face coverings or masks, these masks should not be used as they are potentially dangerous and can cause choking and suffocation.

If you or your child is unwell with the symptoms of COVID-19, then you should get a test and stay at home until you get the result. If you are worried then you should call 111 or speak to your doctor.”

Background:

Children aged under three years of age should not wear face coverings or masks
Wearing face coverings/masks is not compulsory in any public setting for children aged 3-11
We advise adults and children over the age of 11 years to wear face masks in enclosed public spaces where it is difficult to socially distance. This may help prevent transmission of virus to someone else if you are infected but do not yet have symptoms
Any adult or child with symptoms should self-isolate in line with the stay at home guidance and get tested.

Healthmatters Reproductive Health Telephone conference and Q&A session

PHE is running a telephone conference on reproductive health on Tuesday 26 June 2018, 10:00 – 10:45, and invites health professionals to join. Please join Professor Viv Bennett, Chief Nurse & Director for Maternity & Early Years, Public Health England, for the launch of this latest edition of Health Matters. She will be joined by Dr Sue Mann, Medical Expert and Public Health Consultant in Reproductive Health, PHE and Dr Catherine Swann, Deputy Director, Maternity and Community, PHE.

About the telephone conference

Ensuring that women and men achieve and maintain good health in their reproductive years is a public health challenge that impacts on future health for both themselves and their child.

A woman who is healthy at the time of conception is more likely to have a successful pregnancy and a healthy child. A planned pregnancy is likely to be a healthier one, as women tend not to be optimally prepared for pregnancy if it is unplanned.

The aim is for pregnancies to happen by choice, which means increasing the proportion of planned pregnancies for those who do want to conceive, and preventing pregnancies for those who do not. Currently, one third of births in England are unplanned or associated with feelings of ambivalence, which can have adverse impacts for the mother, baby and children later in life.

Teleconference: Tuesday 26 June 2018, 10.00am – 10.45am

Please join Professor Viv Bennett, Chief Nurse & Director for Maternity & Early Years, Public Health England, for the launch of this latest edition of Health Matters. She will be joined by Dr Sue Mann, Medical Expert and Public Health Consultant in Reproductive Health, PHE and Dr Catherine Swann, Deputy Director, Maternity and Community, PHE.

Why you should take part:

The preconception period (the years in which you can have a child) presents an opportunity for women and men to take steps to protect the health of a baby they might have sometime in the future, and stay healthy throughout life.

There are both universal and targeted opportunities to embed preconception care as part of day-to-day business and thereby improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and radically upgrade prevention.

Health professionals and commissioners need to work collaboratively to deliver the best outcomes. The session will be of particular value to local authorities, directors of public health, health and wellbeing boards, commissioners, CCGs and health professionals.

All our Health Announcements on International Nurses Day – 12 May

Viv Bennett has shared number of announcements and releases that PHE is making to coincide with International Nurses Day.

All Our Health is a call to action for healthcare professionals working with patients and the population to contribute to closing the health and wellbeing gap and to prevent avoidable illness, protect health and promote wellbeing.

All Our Health provides resources to help health professionals to improve individual and population health outcomes.

The All Our Health Call to Action framework and specific topic guides on adult obesity and one on childhood obesity can be accessed via Gov.uk. Further topic guides will be uploading over the coming month.

To access All Our Health please go to: