Guidance on the personal use of face coverings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The current rules on social distancing remain the most important. They are that you should only leave the house for the following very limited purposes:
- for basic necessities, such as food and medicine. Trips must be as infrequent as possible - daily exercise, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household - to ensure basic animal welfare needs are met, including taking dogs out when necessary - any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person - travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home
These reasons are exceptions - even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home, and ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household.
These measures must be followed by everyone and guidance on physical distancing is available on NHS Inform. This also includes important guidance on hand washing and respiratory hygiene.
Separate advice is available on NHS Inform for individuals or households who are isolating.
Use of face coverings Questions have been asked about the use of facial coverings and we address that here.
Physical distancing, hand washing and respiratory hygiene, are the most important and effective measures we can all adopt to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Therefore the wearing of facial coverings must not be used as an alternative to any of these other precautions.
The evidence on the use of face coverings is limited, but there may be some benefit in wearing a facial covering when you leave the house and enter enclosed spaces, especially where physical distancing is more difficult and where there is a risk of close contact with multiple people you do not usually meet.
Examples include, traveling on public transport or entering a food shop where it is not always possible to maintain a 2 metre distance from another customer.
There is no evidence to suggest there might be a benefit outdoors, unless in an unavoidable crowded situation, where there may be some benefit.
As some people can have the virus but experience no symptoms (asymptomatic infection), wearing a face covering in the situations outlined above may provide some level of protection against transmission to other people in close proximity.
However, it remains the case that anyone with symptoms and all members of their household (whether they have symptoms or not), must self-isolate and adhere to the guidance on individual and household isolation on NHS Inform.
By face coverings we do not mean the wearing of a surgical or other medical grade mask but a facial covering of the mouth and nose, that is made of cloth or other textiles and through which you can breathe, for example a scarf.
When applying or removing the covering, it is important that you wash your hands first and avoid touching your face. After each use, you must wash the face covering at 60 degrees centigrade or dispose of safely. Face coverings should not be used for children under the age of two years.
We are recommending that you consider using face coverings in the limited circumstances described above as a precautionary measure.
Given that the evidence of impact on transmission is relatively weak, the public use of facial coverings is not being made mandatory and will not be enforced at this stage.
However, we will keep this guidance under ongoing review as we consider any easing of lockdown restrictions in the weeks ahead.
- for basic necessities, such as food and medicine. Trips must be as infrequent as possible - daily exercise, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household - to ensure basic animal welfare needs are met, including taking dogs out when necessary - any medical need, including to donate blood, avoid or escape risk of injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person - travelling for work purposes, but only where you cannot work from home
whats different about that to down here PP ??
Or did you even read it ??
And the facemask Message is standard and useless
- for basic necessities, such as food and medicine. Trips must be as infrequent as possible- daily exercise, for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household- to ensure basic animal welfare needs are met, including taking d
I have always found Sturgeon to be an excellent clear speaker who can debate any relevant topic in a detailed fashion. I trust her and totally understand why the Scottish folks have such a high regard for her.
I have always found Sturgeon to be an excellent clear speaker who can debate any relevant topic in a detailed fashion. I trust her and totally understand why the Scottish folks have such a high regard for her.
the Nazi type poppy police will be out ,outing those not wearing masks
no evidence they do any good but we,ll advice wearing them anyway but wont make you, worst kind of vigilante politics you can have
the Nazi type poppy police will be out ,outing those not wearing masksno evidence they do any good but we,ll advice wearing them anyway but wont make you, worst kind of vigilante politics you can have
least anyone forgets amongst all the shoite,go back even before lockdown, any symptons, any you should be self isolating ,not out in the community under a mask
least anyone forgets amongst all the shoite,go back even before lockdown, any symptons, any you should be self isolating ,not out in the community under a mask
Nobody said it is ok to go out with a mask if you have the covids!
If you didn’t have covid do you think it would be ok to sneeze without covering your face?
Get on public transport if you feel a mask is of little or no benefit!
What a dumb argument they make
I would urge anyone who thinks there is no scientific evidence that a wearing a mask will protect you and others to get get on the tube without one!
I love Charles Darwin
Exactly!Nobody said it is ok to go out with a mask if you have the covids!If you didn’t have covid do you think it would be ok to sneeze without covering your face?Get on public transport if you feel a mask is of little or no benefit!What a dumb ar
When applying or removing the covering, it is important that you wash your hands first and avoid touching your face.
Who realistically is going to walk. cycle or drive home from the shops still wearing their scarf? Then park, search for keys, bring the shopping in, go to the sink to wash thoroughly, and then, and only then, touch the mask and their face for the very first time since they first put it on? And after that wash thoroughly again?
After each use, you must wash the face covering at 60 degrees centigrade or dispose of safely.
Like that's going to happen! Who actually uses the 60C cycle on a washing machine these days anyway?
When applying or removing the covering, it is important that you wash your hands first and avoid touching your face. Who realistically is going to walk. cycle or drive home from the shops still wearing their scarf? Then park, search for keys, bring t
Whenever I come back from the shops, I head straight for a shower and put all my clothes in the washing machine. My good lady has a sister who has been a nurse for over thirty years and this is what they were advised to do whenever they came come.
Whenever I come back from the shops, I head straight for a shower and put all my clothes in the washing machine. My good lady has a sister who has been a nurse for over thirty years and this is what they were advised to do whenever they came come.