AS of today it becomes mandatory to wear a face covering in an enclosed public space – including shops, banks, indoor parts of railway and bus stations and takeaways.
Breaking the rule could lead to a fine of £100, unless you’re exempt because of your age, if you have disabilities or for medical reasons. Public Health England has warned parents and carers not to put masks on babies or very young children because of a risk of choking or suffocation.
While shops have been told they can refuse entry to members of the public not wearing a face covering, some major retailers have said they won’t be enforcing the rule.
And Devon and Cornwall Police has said that it will be adopting an ’educate, engage and encourage’ approach to the matter with enforcement a last resort, if there is a public order issue.