Coronavirus: Face masks will be ‘new normal’ for another year, says Sadiq Khan

New rules mean it is now compulsory for people in England to wear a face covering while using public transport

Face coverings could become the “new normal” for up to a year, London mayor Sadiq Khan has warned, after the government made it compulsory for people to wear masks on public transport.

New rules introduced in England on Monday require passengers to wear face coverings on buses, trains, boats and planes, with exemptions only for those with certain health conditions, disabled people and children under the age of 11.

The rules do not apply to travel on school transport, taxis and private hire vehicles, although Uber has said face coverings will be mandatory for both drivers and passengers.

Ministers are encouraging people to avoid public transport where possible. Those who refuse to wear masks may be turned away from services or handed fines of up to £100, the Department for Transport has said.

Mr Khan, who has previously called for the policy to be extended to all areas where social distancing is not possible, said face coverings will be a “reality” for the foreseeable future.

“This is part of the new normal,” he told LBC. “The reality is that for the foreseeable future – I predict for the next year or so – wearing face coverings is going to become the norm rather than the exception.”

“I was pleased when the prime minister accepted the need for us to wear face coverings on public transport, and make it mandatory.”

More than 3,000 additional staff including police officers have been deployed to public transport hubs across the country in an attempt to ensure people comply with the new rules.

Hundreds of thousands of free face coverings will be handed out at train stations in the coming days as people continue filtering back to work and hitting the high street following the relaxation of lockdown measures on Monday.

The government changed its advice on face coverings to help limit transmission of the novel disease earlier this month following calls for doctors, unions and MPs.

The World Health Organistion also updated its guidance on face masks on 5 June after insisting for months there was no evidence to suggest they are effective in public settings.

It came after a review of evidence by researchers in Canada published in the Lancet Journal revealed that wearing a face covering may reduce the risk of spreading the virus to another person by around 14 per cent.

All staff, outpatients and visitors in England’s hospitals will also have to wear face coverings. However, it is not compulsory for patients to wear face masks in primary care settings.

Announcing the move, health secretary Matt Hancock said: “As the NHS reopens right across the country, it is critically important to stop the spread amongst staff, patients and visitors too.

“So... we are setting out that all hospital visitors and outpatients will need to wear face coverings.”

Commuters in London wear face masks following the introduction of new rules on Monday (AFP via Getty)

“It will apply at all times, not just when they are doing their life-saving work on the frontline. It will apply in all areas except those areas designated as Covid-secure workplaces.”

The Department for Health has since said its guidance for people visiting GPs has not changed, saying patients were covered by general advice to wear face coverings in setting where social distancing is not possible.

This has left GP surgeries and NHS providers “confused and unprepared”, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned.

“It is imperative that we do all we can to prevent the spread of infection in healthcare settings, so that patients and visitors can attend hospital and GP practices without fear of contamination,” said BMA chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul.

“The wearing of masks by staff and face coverings by the public will be key to enabling this. It is clear though that the government has failed to properly plan for these changes which are now in effect and have left providers of NHS services confused and unprepared for how this will be implemented on the frontline.

“Furthermore, it is still unclear as to whether mandatory face coverings will extend to patients attending GP practices.”