Mask mandates are back now omicron is here... but they should never have been dropped

Workers shouldn’t have to roll the dice every time they clock on – wearing a small piece of cloth over one’s face is also a small price to pay to protect the economy, writes James Moore

Mask wearing will once again be mandatory on public transport and in shops in England (EPA)

Shortly before Boris Johnson’s government dropped all pandemic-related restrictions in England, the British Medical Association conducted a survey of more than 2,500 doctors.

Some 90 per cent wanted masks to remain mandatory on public transport, 78 per cent in shops, 68 per cent in hospitality settings. USDAW, the shop workers union, said much the same thing. General Secretary Paddy Lillis described mask wearing as a “basic and sensible” measure. Which they are.

Mercifully, England is, from today, belatedly part of the way back to where the majority of doctors wanted it to be (the devolved administrations having already taken a more enlightened stance on the issue). Masks will be legally required in shops and on public transport..