Doctors and nurses will be asked to work without full-length gowns and to reuse items of personal protective equipment (PPE) ahead of expected shortages.
The government has faced criticism over the distribution of PPE to frontline staff treating coronavirus patients in recent weeks.
Some NHS staff have warned that they feel unsafe while working in situations without the right PPE. Now, Public Health England (PHE) has now said that if long-sleeved fluid-repellent gowns are not available, clinical staff are now advised to wear “disposable, non-fluid repellent gowns or coveralls” or “washable surgical gowns”, with aprons, and to wash their forearms afterwards.