NHS Providers chief executive Daniel Elkeles has said that people experiencing flu or cold symptoms should wear a mask in public places.
He said Britain was facing a “very nasty strain of flu” and people should return to the habit of wearing a mask in public amid a “tidal wave” of illness.
He told Times Radio, "If you are coughing and sneezing, but you’re not unwell enough to not go to work, then you must wear a mask when you’re in public spaces - including on public transport - to stop the chances of you giving your virus to somebody else.”
When asked if he meant people who had “got a cold, they’re snuffling, they are coughing” should wear a mask in the office, Elkeles added: “I think that would be very sensible to all their colleagues, or probably their colleagues would say: ‘Please go home.’"
He warned that the new strain of flu spreads very easily, and the current weather conditions are conducive to such outbreaks.
Downing Street said wearing a mask to prevent the spread of respiratory illness was “something people can consider”.
However, the spokesperson said the best defence was the flu vaccine, and the government is keen to ramp up its vaccination efforts.
A UKHSA blog had recently advocated wearing masks if a person is unwell and needs to go out.
"Wearing a well-fitting mask when unwell can reduce the number of particles containing viruses that are released from the mouth and nose of someone who is infected with a respiratory infection.
"Face coverings can also protect the person wearing them from becoming infected with other respiratory viruses."
However, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch rejected the idea of a mask mandate.
She told Sky News: “I don’t think the government should be mandating anything. Let’s have some common sense. I think people can make up their own minds.
She added that if someone is sick, they should stay at home and not take public transport.
According to the UKHSA, the weekly average flu positivity rate has risen to 17.1 percent among reported test results as of 2 December, up from 11.6 percent the week before.
The number of flu patients in hospitals has hit a record high in England for this time of year.
NHS figures show there were an average of 1,700 patients in hospital with flu last week, which is more than 50 percent higher than the same time last year.
