New rules for face masks and coverings in these Leeds theatres, bingo halls, hair salons, churches and mosques from Saturday August 8

New rules have come into force for face masks and coverings in these Leeds venues and businesses from Saturday, August 8.
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Where do I have to wear a face mask now? Have face mask rules changed in England?

Currently, people in England are required to wear a face mask in shopping centres, shops, post offices, supermarkets, banks and takeaways.

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But from Saturday August 8 this will extend to theatres, bingo halls, concert halls, museums, places of worship, hair salons and galleries.

New rules on face masks have been put in place on Saturday, August 8New rules on face masks have been put in place on Saturday, August 8
New rules on face masks have been put in place on Saturday, August 8

Police can hit those caught breaking the rules with £100 fines.

Last week, Boris Johnson said masks must be worn in indoor spaces where people will come into contact with others they don’t know.

The move comes as the Prime Minister announced a growing rate of coronavirus infections, which has seen the easing of lockdown measures stopped, and local lockdowns imposed on areas such as Kirklees and Bradford in West Yorkshire.

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it would "give people more confidence to shop safely and enhance protections for those who work in shops".

But Nigel Booth, who represents police officers right across West Yorkshire as West Yorkshire Police Federation Chief, has previously said that police simply do not have the manpower to effectively enforce the measure.

He said: “Now the country is waking up from Covid, policing is really busy again.

"It’s unrealistic to expect my colleagues to become Face Mask Monitors in the retail sector.

“We simply do not have enough resources.

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“It goes without saying that they will be on hand to deal with the more extreme cases where things have gotten out of hand.

“Shopkeepers must not be left under any illusion that they have a part to play in Engaging, Explaining and Encouraging compliance.”

Mask-wearing has been compulsory on public transport in England and at NHS facilities across the UK since 15 June and in shops from July 24.

Children under 11 and those with certain disabilities will be exempt from wearing them.

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Meanwhile, scientific guidance issued today says that hairdressers should employ face coverings - not just shields or visors - while working in order to more effectively control the spread of coronavirus.

The experts warn that plastic face shields being used in hair salons are unlikely to be an effective control for aerosol transmission of Covid-19.

In documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) on Friday , the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag) says the guidance needs to change.

The group says face shields provide protection for the wearer against large droplet exposure, including by inoculation through the eyes.

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However, they are unlikely to provide any protection for the wearer against small aerosols.

There is no evidence that face shields/visors are an effective source control for either larger droplets or small aerosols, the document published on Friday sets out.

In the paper from July 22, the scientists advise: "It is recommended that guidance for settings where people are in close proximity for a long duration (eg hairdressing), and that currently only require face shields to be worn, should be changed to include the wearing of face coverings."In England hairdressers reopened on July 4, after being closed for about three months, with appropriate measures in place to keep staff and clients safe, but without the requirement for face coverings.

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Thank you

Laura Collins