Face coverings are to grow to be obligatory for people using public transport in England from Monday 15 June.
Additionally, all hospital visitors and outpatients should wear face coverings and all workers will have to wear surgical masks at all times, in all areas.
Face coverings are already beneficial in some enclosed areas – like public transport and shops – when social distancing isn’t possible.
What are the new guidelines?
The move to obligatory face coverings on buses, trains, ferries and planes, and the new rules for hospitals, will coincide with an additional easing of lockdown restrictions.
From 15 June, ministers want more non-essential retailers to open and some secondary school pupils to return to classes. This could put more pressure on public transport, and make social distancing more difficult.
The government has pressured that people should:
Continue working from home if they’ll accomplish that
Keep away from public transport if they can’t work from dwelling
Avoid the frenzy hour in the event that they must take public transport
Some passengers will probably be exempt from the new guidelines:
Younger children
Disabled individuals
These with breathing difficulties
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said passengers ought to wear “the sort of face covering you can simply make at residence”. Surgical masks must be kept for medical uses.
He told BBC News that while scientists aren’t in full agreement about face coverings, “we think it’s price doing completely everything potential” to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
How will the new rules be enforced?
Mr Shapps said it would be a “situation of journey” to wear a face covering and people could be refused travel – and even fined – if they did not comply with the rules.
He said British Transport Police would enforce the regulation if vital – however he hoped most travellers would comply.
Particulars of the rules will likely be displayed at stations. Transport employees can even wear face coverings, and volunteer marshals, known as “journey makers”, will give advice.
What’s the present advice?
Till now the federal government advice in England has said it is best to wear face coverings:
On public transport and in some shops, where social distancing can’t be observed
In different enclosed areas where you come into contact with others you don’t usually meet
It additionally stresses that personal face coverings:
Don’t change social distancing – which ought to still be noticed
Shouldn’t be confused with surgical masks or respirators, which should be left for healthcare workers and other workers who want them
Shouldn’t be worn by very young children or individuals who have problems breathing while wearing a face covering
What about the rest of the UK?
In Scotland, it is recommended that you consider using face coverings in restricted circumstances – corresponding to public transport – as a precautionary measure.
In Northern Ireland, individuals should have face coverings in enclosed areas for short intervals of time, where social distancing isn’t possible.
At present, the Welsh government does not ask for individuals to wear non-clinical face coverings – saying it’s a “matter of personal selection”.
Why does not everybody wear a mask now?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has up to date its guidelines on wearing face masks, beforehand only recommending them for people who are sick and showing signs and people caring for folks suspected to have coronavirus.
It now recommends that non-medical face coverings needs to be worn on public transport and in some enclosed work environments.
It also advises that healthcare workers should wear medical masks when providing any patient care.
People over 60 and those with undermendacity health circumstances, the WHO says, ought to wear medical masks when social distancing can’t be achieved.