A father is campaigning for children’s PPE equipment to be provided at Noble’s Hospital.

David Cregeen’s five-year-old son Thomas, was taken to Noble’s emergency department following an accident at home.

But while there he was given an ill-fitting adult face mask which could not be adjusted - and nursing staff told them that the hospital does not stock children’s PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).

Self-employed gardener David, 49, of Hillberry, Onchan, has contacted the Chief Minister, his constituency MHKs and the Chief Constable calling for equal rights for children when it comes to PPE.

Mr Cregeen, who also lodged an official complaint at the ’unsatisfactory’ standard of service his son received, said: ’I am concerned that if the virus - or a new strain - gets into the community, it will possibly infect children or be spread by children.

’Obviously providing them with children’s masks would help prevent this.’

But the Health Minister insists there is no requirement for children to wear face masks in hospital.

Thomas was taken to A&E at the height of the island’s Covid lockdown in May when all arrivals at Noble’s Hospital were required to wear face masks.

His dad had been giving him a piggy back in his bedroom at home when he hit his head on the window sill when he flung himself onto the bed.

David and his wife rang 999 for an ambulance.

He said: ’When we arrived at casualty we were stopped by a male nurse who asked "why aren’t you wearing masks?".

’He then provided us with two adult masks. We were shown to the triage room. I showed the nurse my son’s mask and that it did not fit. She replied: ’Unfortunately we don’t stock children’s PPE".’

Mr Cregeen said he is planning to start a petition calling for children’s masks to be available.

Health Minister David Ashford said: ’In terms of masks there is no requirement for children to use PPE and this has been explained to the parents on several occasions.

’Normal face masks do not protect the wearer they simply protect others around them from the wearer themselves. Therefore while staff will use PPE there is no need for the child to do so.’

There is currently no requirement that all people arriving at Noble’s should wear masks.

Masks may be issued to people after they arrive but that will be a decision of the treating clinician.

Anyone who has come to the island on compassionate grounds to visit a dying relative would have to wear full medical PPE if their visit was within the 14 days of arrival.

All visits to the island on compassionate grounds have now been cancelled in the wake of the threat of the mutant strain of Covid now sweeping England.