New rules have come into force which means face coverings are now mandatory again on public transports and in shops in England.
The measures have been introduced, along with additional travel rules, to help slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
They came into effect this morning, Tuesday, November 31, and will be reviewed again in three weeks, with the health secretary Sajid Javid saying that he hoped the new rules would be “temporary”.
This means shops can have the power to turn away any customers who refuse to wear a face covering.
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According to the latest government guidance, face coverings are required in all ‘public facing areas’ which include shops, supermarkets, takeaways (without an area for eating in), public transport, hairdressers and train stations.
However, face coverings do not have to be worn in hospitality settings such as pubs, bars and restaurants.
Who is exempt from wearing a face covering?
Many people are unable to wear a face covering due to medical reasons, or are too young.
There are also cases where the reasons for not wearing a face mask aren’t always visible, and the government urges people to be ‘respectful of these situations.
People who are exempt from wearing a face covering include:
- Children under the age of 11 - Public Health England advises no coverings for children under the age of three for health and safety reasons
- people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
- where the putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause severe distress
- instances where people are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate
- to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others
- police officers and other emergency workers – this may interfere with their ability to serve the public
Wearing a face mask can reduce the spread of infection as they cover the nose and mouth, which are the main sources of transmission of the virus.
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