Members of the public will be required to wear face coverings in most indoor venues including cinemas and theatres from today.
The announcement is part of new rules announced by the Prime Minister on Thursday as part of a plan to tackle the rising Omicron variant in recent weeks.
Boris Johnson's Plan B also includes an order to work from home from Monday while Covid passports will be required from Wednesday, December 15 in England in order to enter some indoor and larger outdoor venues.
This will include proof of vaccination or proof of a negative lateral flow test. The NHS Covid pass will act as a certificate, with exemptions for those unable to get jabbed.
The Prime Minister announced he was toughening the rules as scientists warned the NHS could be swamped by 1,000 patients a day as the virus spreads over the cold season.
Refusing to wear a face mask in areas where they have been outlined as mandatory could land people with a £200 fine.
Mr Johnson said: "It is clear that Omicron is growing much faster than the previous delta variant and spreading rapidly across the world."
He confirmed that masks will have to be worn in crowded indoor spaces - but not bars and restaurants.
It is already mandatory to wear face coverings in shops and on public transport until December 21.
The PM said: "There'll be of course exemptions where it's not practical, such as when eating, drinking, exercising or singing."
It means places like gyms, restaurants and choir practice will likely be exempt from the tightened rules.
People will be required to show they're either double-jabbed or provide a negative test for crowded gatherings.
Where do I have to wear a mask?
People must wear masks on public transport or in shops unless they are medically exempt from doing so, but more places have also been announced by Health Secretary Sajid Javid. Children under 11 do not have to wear a mask.
All the place you have to wear a face mask from Friday, including those added to the list on November 29.
Nightclubs
Indoor events with 500 attendees
Large outdoor gatherings like sports games
- Shops and supermarkets (places which offer goods or services for retail sale or hire) (this includes shops in larger premises such as a gift shop within a museum)
- Shopping centres (malls and indoor markets)
- Takeaways (without space for consumption of food or drink on premises)
- Auction houses and retail galleries
- Post offices, banks, building societies, high street solicitors and accountants, credit unions, short term loan providers, savings clubs and money service businesses
- Estate and letting agents and retail travel agents
- Premises providing personal care and beauty treatments (such as hair salons, barbers, nail salons, massage centres, tattoo and piercing studios,
- Pharmacies
- Vets
- Public transport services (aeroplanes, trains, trams, buses, coaches and ferries)
- Taxis and private hire vehicles
- Transport hubs (airports, rail and tram stations and terminals, maritime ports and terminals, bus and coach stations and terminals)
- Face coverings must also be worn in any car or small van during a professionally delivered driving lesson, a practical driving test or during one of the practical tests for giving driving instruction.
Those who do not cover their faces with a mask could end up with a £200 fine.
This is doubled for each offence and could land people with an eventual fine of £6,400, which is the maximum.
Most parts of Europe have now confirmed the presence of Omicron in their respective countries.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) cannot yet confirm if the virus is more easily transmitted or if it is more resistant to vaccines. Currently, this is only suspected but is likely the reason behind the restrictions being reintroduced.
As a result, the NHS has cut the qualifying time for booster jabs from six months after a second dose to three.
Boris Johnson announced eight days ago that every eligible adult in the UK should be offered a Covid booster by the end of January under plans to boost protection against the Omicron variant.
“We’re going to be throwing everything at it, to ensure everyone eligible is offered a booster in just over two months,” the prime minister said.
