Coronavirus: New guide on face masks and coatings released for England

Image copyright
Reuters

A comprehensive guide to using face covers in stores in England has been published, less than 12 hours before the new rules take effect.

Coatings will be mandatory in closed public spaces, including supermarkets, indoor shopping malls, transportation hubs, banks, and post offices.

They should also be used when buying food and drink to go, although they can be removed in a rest area.

Those who break the rules could face a fine of up to £ 100.

And the police will be able to “use force” to get customers out of stores if they do not use face covers, as well as prevent them from entering, according to the guidance of the Police College.

However, forces have said they will only enforce the rules, including issuing fines of £ 100, as a last resort, and officers will not patrol the facility.

There are exemptions to the new rules for children under the age of 11, those with disabilities or certain health conditions, such as respiratory or cognitive impairments that make it difficult for them to wear a face mask.

Public Health England has cautioned parents not to purchase infant and toddler coverage due to the risk of suffocation or suffocation.

Shop workers are not required to wear face covers, but the government said it “recommends” that employers consider using them when appropriate.

The government said it was the responsibility of people to use one, although companies are encouraged to take steps to encourage customers to comply with the law, such as with posters.

Sainsbury’s and Costa Coffee have already said that their staff will not challenge or require customers to enter their stores. Asda said the execution was “the responsibility of the relevant authorities.”

But Waitrose said he will have staff at the entrance that will remind customers of the rule, while Greggs and McDonalds said take-away customers should wear masks.

The masks will not be mandatory in closed places that have other security measures, such as:

• Eating in restaurants
• Pubs
• Hairdressers and salons
• Gyms and leisure centers.
• Cinemas, concert halls and theaters.
• Visitor attractions like museums

Image copyright
fake pictures

The government has been accused of mixed messages about the use of masks in takeaways, and trade and parliamentary bodies said there was confusion over how the rules would be applied.

A Health Department spokesperson said: “If you are in a place where you can sit down and eat food or drinks you have purchased, you can remove the cover from your face to eat and drink on site.”

The criticism came after ministers and official spokesman Boris Johnson contradicted each other over how the rules would apply to takeout and sandwich shops.

Speaking before the guide was published, Kate Nicholls, executive director of UK Hospitality, said the government’s messages had been conflicting and that it was “too late in the day” to confirm the guide.

Unison official Jon Richards also said the UK “was late at the table to cover his face and now people don’t know what to do.”

He said that the rules on facial coatings were in effect for shops and public transportation, but not for other closed spaces such as libraries, registry offices and civic centers. “The public needs clarity to end the confusion,” he said.

Media playback is not supported on your device

According to the government, facial coatings should cover the mouth and nose and can be as simple as a scarf or kerchief that fits securely around the side of the face without having to be held in place.

The requirement to use front liners in transportation hubs (rail and bus stations, airports, and seaports) only applies to those areas that are completely inside and closed.

You are allowed to remove a face covering in certain situations, for example, to test identification at banks or when purchasing age-restricted products.

Facial coatings are mandatory in Scottish stores as of July 10. Buyers are currently not required to use them in Wales or Northern Ireland, although NI will not wait until August 20 before deciding whether to make them mandatory.

Coatings are already mandatory on public transport in England and Scotland, as well as on most buses, trains and ferries in Northern Ireland. They will be compulsory on public transport in Wales from July 27.

Can the police make me cover my face?

The Police Federation, which represents front-line officers, says they cannot spend their time patrolling thousands upon thousands of outlets.

Store staff and security guards are now able to apprehend thieves as they wait for the police to arrive, and police leaders wait for store managers to refuse the entrance of unmasked users, rather than turning to the police. To solve the problem.

Well-known commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said London police would only require the use of in-store covers “as a last resort” if people who do not wear a blanket refuse to leave a store or become “aggressive” .

Read more here.

Tracy Cannard, who works at a supermarket and is a representative of the USDAW store workers union, said that although an increasing number of customers were choosing to wear masks, this only represented around 20% and making it mandatory would help her feel more secure. .

James Lowman, executive director of the Convenience Store Association, said he was advising its members to communicate the rules on facial covers through posters and informal conversations, rather than challenging customers who didn’t wear one.

He said incidents of verbal and physical abuse of store workers had increased during the closure and that retailers did not want to risk creating a “flash point” for the confrontation.

Trade Union Congress Director Frances O’Grady also warned that the new rules could put staff at risk of abuse. “New rules that require shoppers to wear masks can further risk personal safety,” he said.

“Store staff are not required to monitor the use of face masks: employers must make this clear. And each employer must publish a risk assessment that sets out how they will protect staff from abusive customers and those who refuse to wear masks. “

The abuse could also be directed at disabled people who are exempt from the rule, a disability charity warned.

Fazilet Hadi, policy manager for Disability Rights UK, said there had already been “horrible stories” of disabled people fighting over not wearing a mask, and called for a government publicity campaign to raise awareness of the exemptions.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said “everyone must play their part” by following the new guide.

“As we move into the next stage of easing restrictions for the public, it is vital that we continue to shop safely so that we can make the most of our fantastic retail industry this summer,” he said.

“I also want to thank the British public for all the sacrifices they are making to help keep this country safe.”

In other developments:

• Two more areas in England – Luton and Blackburn – have been marked as “intervention areas”. They join Leicester and Oadby & Wigston, where there are local closings
• A network of walk-in centers for coronavirus testing will be established across England in an attempt to persuade more people to come for testing during the winter.
• People in Scotland who are protecting themselves, those who are considered to be at higher risk for Covid-19, will be able to go to pubs and restaurants with outdoor spaces starting on Friday.
• Speaking on an official trip to Orkney and the north of Scotland, Boris Johnson praised the pandemic’s response as a token of the “great power” of the UK union.
• The number of people who died after testing positive for the coronavirus increased by 53 to 45,554, according to government figures released Thursday.

Do you have any questions about wearing masks?

In some cases, your question will be posted, showing your name, age, and location as you provide it, unless otherwise noted. Your contact details will never be published. Make sure you have read the terms and conditions.

Use this form to ask your question: