[England] People ‘expected’ to wear face masks in enclosed public spaces after 19 July

[DumplingsAndStew]

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/face-mask-nadhim-zahawi-covid-b1882018.html

New guidance will be issued by the government telling the public they are “expected” to wearface coveringsin indoor enclosed places, the vaccines minister has said.

Nadhim Zahawialso said he was “confident” the government would ease almost all legal restrictions on 19 July — despite surging cases of the virus and concerns expressed by scientists.

Speaking onSky News, he said: “It’s important we remain cautious and careful. The guidelines that we’ll set out tomorrow will demonstrate that, including guidelines that people are expected to wear a mask in indoor enclosed spaces, and of course remain vigilant.”

While the guidance will not be legally binding, his remarks appear to be a shift in stance fromBoris Johnson’s comments just last week, whosaid people “might choose” to follow the guidancein areas where cases are on the rise and in enclosed spaces, such as public transport at peak hours.

Why not just wait until the majority are vaccinated. Surely most people have had their first jab so it would only be a couple of months until they get their second.

But this reason before last delaying, now do we wait until the booster now, it never ends.

Maybe people in shops, bused trams etc should get on with it and get comfortable with risks many us of have have been subjected to for months.

So bus drivers and shop assistants who come into contact with hundreds of different people everyday should just get over it. How is that fair? Why should they be put at risk all day every day because someone doesn’t want to wear a mask for a 20min journey or shopping trip.
I think they should be allowed to not wear masks but everyone wanting to go into the shop or get on a bus should be respectful and wear one to protect them.

"So bus drivers and shop assistants who come into contact with hundreds of different people everyday should just get over it. How is that fair?"

Some of us have been treated like that since sept....

@HesterShaw1 - all the more reason that we see this out and keep wearing masks when there is so much infection circulating.

Some of us have been treated like that since sept....

So if you’ve had to be in contact with hundreds of unmasked people since sept then surely you’d be encouraging everyone to keep the masks for longer as you’ll be put at risk even more?

I work in a secondary school and I am happy for them to not wear masks in the classroom. But I think they should continue to do so in the corridors and on buses. The amount of staff off is ridiculous and it’s only a matter of time before our school closes like others have done and I don’t want that to happen as that’s going to lead to lockdowns again.

*"So bus drivers and shop assistants who come into contact with hundreds of different people everyday should just get over it. How is that fair?"

Some of us have been treated like that since sept....*

And some of us have worked since march all way through what do we win.

"So if you’ve had to be in contact with hundreds of unmasked people since sept then surely you’d be encouraging everyone to keep the masks for longer as you’ll be put at risk even more?"

I think I've come to terms with the fact that government has stopped any real effort to stop or reduce infections. They are trusting vaccines to reduce illness. Everyone is going to get covid sooner or later.

I've had it once and most likely will do again - probably in the next two months. The first time was pre vaccines my asthma got a lot worse and had serious fatigue for 6 months.

@swimlyn you said anyone coming near to you without a mask then went on to talk about how you've abandoned friends who don't wear masks. I highly doubt that know, or that you're a friend or acquaintance of, everyone you come into contact with who is maskless.

FYI, not everyone is able to SD.

If you wish to appear considerate of others, probably best not to cherry-pick who is worthy of your consideration.

@toocold54

This couple of months never ends does it

Why not just wait until the majority are vaccinated. Surely most people have had their first jab so it would only be a couple of months until they get their second.

The majority are vaccinated.

@TheVampiresWife - a large enough majority haven't been jabbed twice yet.

large enough majority haven't been jabbed twice yet

Then do we wait for third jab it never ends in reality

@Againstmachine - it's a pandemic, it's bigger than us and we learn more about it every day. Science will save us but in the meantime we have to play our part. Being fed up & bored of it is irrelevant. The virus doesn't care.

God this is getting boring now... wish the maskers would just stay home where it's "safe" and let the rest of folk get on with living a normal life again

Translation "we really need and want you plebs to continue wearing masks to offset the number of cases that will come as a result of these sporting events. Meanwhile Boris Johnson will continue not wearing masks in the back of cars. Piers Morgan and other media will continue to do likewise at events like Wembley and continue to go on holiday while telling you plebs that you are selfish for wanting to see family. We need y"all to continue wearing masks so we dont have to"

PicsInRed

"Effectively this means men - especially white men - will be allowed to drop the masks and return to normality, and it will be women and ethnic minorities will feel pressured to continue as they will be the ones confronted aggressively, shamed, filmed, ejected, and threatened with arrest for quite legally permissible removing their mask.

That's how it works when government hand over "enforcement" to the people"

Yep. See Piers Morgan Dr Hilary Jones Boris Johnson Stanley Johnson

@Againstmachine - it's a pandemic, it's bigger than us and we learn more about it every day. Science will save us but in the meantime we have to play our part. Being fed up & bored of it is irrelevant. The virus doesn't care

Absolutely rubbish , whether the virus believes we need active economys to pay for it .

If individuals are worried then they should personally continue the mask wearing or stay home. Covid is here to stay, much like other viruses and diseases.

I will not be wearing a mask from 19th July. They make me feel dizzy and out of breath unfortunately. Not wearing them doesn’t mean I lack empathy or am selfish. I had the vaccines to protect others mainly and as it seemed the only way out of the pandemic. The scientific evidence for masks is weak and I have seen no randomised control studies proving that cotton/surgical are useful in preventing transmission of the virus. If I had symptoms, I wouldn’t be going out anyway. If I don’t have symptoms and am double jabbed, the risk of me transmitting a sufficient amount of viral load to infect anyone else should I be carrying the virus asymptomatically, is negligible. People should stop guilt tripping people for wanting to live a normal maskless normal life!!

I've noticed a lot less people wearing them in the last couple of weeks - I think it will be a fairly even split of who wears them after 19th July. I will in busy places but if I am on a train in an empty carriage I won't be wearing one.

I won't be wearing a mask once it's legally not required. I have only ever worn one because of the law but once that obligation is gone then I'll be happy to stop wearing one. It doesn't bother me what others think of me (as long as they don't get confrontational). I will be very surprised if the majority of people are wearing one in shops and on public transport.

high density of people - eg public transport

Sounds the "WE DONT ALL LIVE IN LONDON" klaxon. Small market town Usually three of us on a large bus all spaced out

I’m guessing most people would not like it if their surgeon didn’t wear a mask during major operation or healthcare workers treating patients on high dose immunosuppressants or chemo

So true as paisley print masks bought from Boden dont tend to do much so yes they wouldnt like it.

"After Boris announced all restrictions were to go on the 19th an extremely cynical colleague said this was all a govt ploy to placate us all while the Euros / Wimbledon were taking place.

He said from the 5th July expect lots of media coverage re case numbers rising and an anti stance to opening up on the 19th.

Then from the 12th onwards Boris ‘alas, alack, backtrack, data data data’ - 19th cancelled or not all restrictions removed.

He actually said at the time the Govt had no intention of total freedom, it was just so there wouldn’t be too much upset with the Euro crowds & dignitaries and Wimbledon"

This is my suspicion too.

@HesterShaw1 Do you subscribe?

@swimlyn And of course you deffo wore a mask pre Covid so people like my DH who has COPD woudnt catch flu or a cold.

DH wouldnt have expected you to. But i guess thats just another difference.