Coronarvirus: Hampshire hospital workers told to shave beards to prevent spread of deadly disease

Bosses at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust sent a mass email to tackle a ‘known problem’ with ill-fitting masks on hairy faces.

Medical director Derek Sandeman attached an image with 36 different kinds of facial hair showing if they are acceptable or not based on whether they fit inside a mask.

Small, pencil-type moustaches such as the ‘Zorro’ and ‘Painter's Brush’ are allowed, but fuller growths including ‘mutton chops’ and the ‘chin curtain’ are out, according to the image.

However, staff with beards for religious or cultural reasons are exempt.

The memo states: ‘You will see that the presence of facial hair compromises the ability to protect any individual through a mask.

‘I am writing to ask those who do not have a strong cultural or religious reason for a beard and who are working in at-risk areas to consider shaving.

‘I recognise for some this is a big ask, that beards are so popular at present. However I do believe this is the right thing to do.’

A spokesman for the trust said: ‘The email was sent proactively to address a known problem with fit testing in people with facial hair to highlight the need to ensure equipment can be sealed tightly for maximum protection.

‘The infographic used was produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US and has been shared widely by infection experts on social media.’

A total of 19 people have now tested positive for coronavirus in the UK including the first cases in Wales and Northern Ireland.

The first British person has died from the disease – a man who was on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.