COVID-19: Face Masks Compulsory In Shops From Today

Tuesday, 30 November 2021 06:00

By Sky News

With the emergence of the new Omicron variant, the government has announced a number of new coronavirus measures - including compulsory face masks in shops, on public transport, in hairdressers, post offices and banks, unless you are exempt, from today.

Following the emergence of the Omicron coronavirus variant, the UK government has reintroduced some COVID measures.

With research still under way into how contagious the variant is - and how it interacts with the vaccines - there is no clear understanding of the path forward.

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he hoped to be able to remove the new measures within weeks.

Here, we explain what the changes are.

England

From 30 November, the law will change in England making face masks compulsory in shops, on public transport, in hairdressers, post offices and banks, unless you are exempt.

People who break the rules face a £200 fine, but the law will not apply to pubs, restaurants or any other hospitality setting.

From 4am on 28 November, anyone identified as a contact of someone with the Omicron variant will have to self-isolate for 10 days - regardless of vaccination status.

Anyone arriving from abroad will also be required to take a Day 2 PCR test, and self-isolate until they get a negative result.

Only British and Irish citizens will be allowed into the UK from the newly red-listed countries in southern Africa.

They will have to show a negative test taken within three days of departure.

They will then have to spend 10 days in a government-approved quarantine hotel, at a cost of more than £2,000, after landing.

Meanwhile, secondary school children in years 7 and above and university students should wear face masks in communal areas, the Department for Education has said.

Under the new guidance, staff, visitors and pupils are "strongly advised" to wear a face covering in communal areas, unless they are exempt.

The measure, which takes effect on 29 November, applies to all education establishments as well as childcare settings, such as early years care.

There is no mandate on homeworking, with a Downing Street spokesperson confirming it is "down to employers" to make their own decisions.