Sadiq Khan now calls for shoppers to be forced to wear face masks after they were made compulsory on public transport
- Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has written to Boris Johnson about face mask use
- He wants the PM to make it mandatory to wear face coverings while shopping
- The use of face masks is now compulsory while using public transport in England
- Mayor Khan believes face masks could help reduce the spread of Covid-19
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has written to the Prime Minister calling the mandatory use of face coverings by shoppers to help stop the transmission of Covid-19
Non-essential shops in England were given permission to open on Monday and further easing of the lockdown is expected next month, with bars and restaurants hoping to welcome customers from July 4.
Commuters using public transport in England are obliged to wear face coverings or risk fines.
London mayor Sadiq Khan, pictured, has written to the PM to urge him to oblige people to wear face masks while shopping
Some shoppers in Primark, Oxford Street were wearing face masks after the low-cost retailer reopened its store
The mayor cited modelling studies from Cambridge and Greenwich universities to support his call for mandatory face masks in shops
In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Khan said face coverings should be mandatory in ‘busy public settings’ including shops.
‘The World Health Organisation updated its guidance to recommend the use of face coverings in a wide range of public settings, including grocery stores, and many European countries – whose lead we have often later followed – have mandated their use in shops and other confined public spaces as part of their strategy for reopening, including Austria, France, German, Portugal and Spain.’
Face coverings are already mandatory on public transport in England and protection is also compulsory for hospital staff and visitors.
The London Mayor said: ‘It is increasingly clear that face coverings will play a key role in our efforts to stop the further spread of the virus and they need to become a more regular part of our day-to-day life.
‘The high level of use on our public transport network has again shown that Londoners are willing to act to protect their community, but the Government’s current rules are lagging behind other countries.
‘With non-essential shops now opening and the public returning to our high streets, I urge the Government to follow World Health Organisation guidance and make these coverings mandatory for those shopping in retail outlets and in other spaces where it is impossible to keep a safe distance.’
Commuters are already obliged to cover their faces while using public transport in England
Mayor Khan believes widespread use of face coverings could reduce the spread of Covid-19