LONDON (UK) – UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that stricter rules to enforce the wearing of face masks may be needed to prevent a resurgence of coronavirus infections, adding that he would like to see them worn frequently in shops across England.
“I do think we need to be stricter in insisting that people wear face coverings in confined places where they are meeting people that they don’t normally meet,” Johnson said.
The UK has Europe’s highest COVID-19 death toll which stands at 45,000.
In England, people are only required to wear face masks while visiting hospitals or when using the public transport. But on Friday, Scotland made it mandatory to wear face masks while visiting shops.
According to official data, just over half of British adults who left their homes last week wore a mask. It comprises 89% of people on public transport.
The prime minister said he believed that scientific proof that face masks were useful was much stronger than at the start of the outbreak and as curbs are eased, they would prevent a flare-up in cases.
“So that’s why it’s mandatory already on public transport, and we’re looking at ways of making sure that people really do observe when you do have face coverings in shops for instance where … there is a risk of transmission,” he added.
In England, non-essential shops reopened on June 15, and hairdressers, pubs and restaurants resumed business last Saturday.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field