THE influx of 250,000 people to Somerset during the Glastonbury Festival and a rise in Covid-19 locally cases has led to staff at Musgrove Park Hospital being told to start wearing masks again.

NHS staff in certain area of the hospital have been told the temporary measure is to protect workers from infection and to avoid spreading the virus.

The edict is in force in areas such as A&E, minor injury units and units where outpatients are visiting.

But it will not apply in wards where patients have been for a period and have not shown any signs of the coronavirus.

A Musgrove spokesperson said: "It's not across the board, just where we don't know whether a person has Covid or not.

"It's different on the wards where patients have been in for a while.

"We're asking certain staff to put their masks back on again and politely requesting patients to do so as well.

"It's a precautionary measure in place just for the time being. We're hoping it won't be for long.

"There's been a slight rise in Covid cases recently and into the mix there are 250,000 extra people coming into Somerset from all over for the Glastonbury Festival, which could potentially spread the virus a little bit more."

READ MORE: Covid outbreak at Somerset GP surgery.