Face Coverings
In England, you must by law wear a face covering when using public transport, when visiting an NHS hospital setting and, from 24 July 2020, in shops, banks and supermarkets.
Public Health England has released a guide that states that a face covering should:
- cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breathe comfortably
- fit comfortably but securely against the side of the face and be secured with ties or ear loops
- ideally include at least two layers of fabric
The guide also describes what precautions you should take when wearing a face covering, such as washing your hands for 20 seconds or using sanitiser before putting it on or taking it off and disposing of single-use masks properly after use.
Exemptions
There are some circumstances, for health, age or equality reasons, in which people are not expected to wear face coverings.
It is not compulsory for shop or supermarket staff to wear face coverings, although they may do as part of their workplace safety mitigations.
Other legitimate reasons for not wearing a face covering include:
- young children under the age of 11
- not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
- if putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
- if you are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate
- to eat, drink or take medication
- if a police officer or other official requests you remove your face covering
