Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

4 hours ago

US House Republicans Head Toward Final Vote on Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut Bill

5 hours ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

5 hours ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

5 hours ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

6 hours ago

Trump Vowed to Dismantle MS-13. His Deal With Bukele Threatens That Effort.

1 day ago

Ukraine Voices Concern as US Halts Some Missile Shipments

1 day ago

What’s Next for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs After His Sex Trafficking Trial?

1 day ago
UK, France Move to Extend Rules on Face Coverings in Public
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
July 14, 2020

Share

LONDON — Britain and France moved Tuesday to make face coverings compulsory in more places as both countries try to get their economies going while at the same time seeking to prevent further coronavirus outbreaks.

Britain and France previously took a more relaxed attitude to face coverings than many other European nations, recommending masks but not requiring them. Germany, Spain, Italy and Greece already require masks to be worn in enclosed spaces.
Following days of procrastination and mixed messages, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the wearing of face coverings will be mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England from July 24.
On the other side of the English Channel, amid signs of a slight virus resurgence in France, President Emmanuel Macron said he also wants to require masks inside all indoor public spaces by Aug. 1.
Britain and France previously took a more relaxed attitude to face coverings than many other European nations, recommending masks but not requiring them. Germany, Spain, Italy and Greece already require masks to be worn in enclosed spaces.
But with their economies reeling after months-long lockdowns, French and U.K. government leaders were anxious to try to persuade people to spend again — hopefully without spreading the virus. Weeks of indecision made way for new rules that came into view virtually overnight.
Britain’s Hancock told lawmakers in the House of Commons Tuesday that face covers can help workers and shoppers alike.
“In recent weeks, we have reopened retail and footfall is rising,” he said. “We want to give people more confidence to shop safely and enhance protection for those who work in shops.”

The New Requirement Only Applies to England

People in England already have to wear face coverings on public transport and in hospital settings.
Anyone not wearing a face covering in the additional environments outlined by the government could be fined 100 pounds ($125,) and shops can refuse entry to anyone failing to comply. Children under 11 and those with certain disabilities will be exempt.
The new requirement only applies to England. The other nations of the U.K. — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — can determine their own public health policies, and Scotland already requires masks in shops.
Hancock stressed that wearing a face covering complements other accepted strategies aimed at keeping a lid on the pandemic, such as washing hands and abiding by social distancing rules.
“We cannot let our progress today lead to complacency tomorrow,” he said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who in April spent a week in the hospital being treated for COVID-19, began wearing a bright blue mask in public last week. The change in policy followed.
In an interview with French television networks marking Bastille Day, France’s Macron said “the best prevention” against the virus is masks, social distancing and hand washing.
Recent rave parties in France and widespread backsliding on social distancing — even within Macron’s presidential palace and other government facilities — have raised concern lately, so the government has been weighing tougher mask guidance.
[covid-19-tracker]

Wearing Face Coverings Brings Some Benefit in Preventing the Spread of the Virus

“We have signs that (the virus) is picking up a bit,” Macron said, noting that France’s virus reproduction rate is inching past 1 again, meaning each infected person is infecting at least one other.
British authorities are hoping the public will comply with the new requirement. London Mayor Sadiq Khan told the BBC he believed that “Londoners by and large will follow the rules,” without too much need for the police.
“The problem is not the issue of enforcement, the problem is the mixed messages and the confused communications,” Khan said.
British Environment Secretary George Eustice also did not rule out the possibility that mandatory face coverings would become compulsory in offices and other workplaces in the future. He told the BBC that the government was taking “one step at a time and we’ve taken the view in this next step that we should make it mandatory in retail environments.”
A growing body of evidence suggests wearing face coverings brings some benefit in preventing the spread of the virus.
“Lack of strong evidence of their effectiveness should not be considered a problem but the evidence is accumulating that they have a part to play in reducing transmission and also in protecting the wearer,” said Keith Neal, an epidemiologist at the University of Nottingham.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

House Republicans Say They Expect to Vote Tonight on Trump’s Tax-Cut Bill

DON'T MISS

San Luis Obispo’s Madre Fire Grows to 8,300 Acres, Prompts Evacuations

DON'T MISS

SLO Deputies Fatally Shoot Man in Los Osos Weeks After US Marshal Impersonation Arrest

DON'T MISS

Madera County Deputy Injured, Wanted Felon Arrested After Violent Struggle

DON'T MISS

San Luis Obispo County Wildfire Burns More Than 3,000 Acres. No Containment Yet

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: Why Is State Lawmaker Taking Aim at Rooftop Solar?

DON'T MISS

Two Visalia Men Sentenced in 2021 Motel Killing

DON'T MISS

Ex-Jan. 6 Defendant Gets Life in Prison for Plot to Kill FBI Agents

DON'T MISS

Del Monte Files for Bankruptcy. Gets Nearly $1B to Keep Producing Through Process

DON'T MISS

Who is Running for Fresno Area Offices in 2026? An Updated Look

UP NEXT

From Victims to Perpetrators: Israeli Soldiers’ Nazi Comparisons and the Unfolding War Crimes in Gaza

UP NEXT

Iran Enacts Law Suspending Cooperation With UN Nuclear Watchdog

UP NEXT

Ukraine Voices Concern as US Halts Some Missile Shipments

UP NEXT

Poll: Most Americans Say National Divide, Political Violence Threaten Democracy

UP NEXT

Dalai Lama Says He Will Be Reincarnated, Trust Will Identify Successor

UP NEXT

Hamas Says It Is Studying Ceasefire Proposal Labeled ‘Final’ by Trump

UP NEXT

Trump Pulls Back 150 Guard Troops From Federal Duties in California

UP NEXT

Trump Says Israel Has Agreed to Conditions to Finalize 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire

UP NEXT

Iran Made Preparations to Mine the Strait of Hormuz, US Sources Say

UP NEXT

Trump Says US Could Reach Trade Deal With India, Casts Doubt on Deal With Japan

Trump to Sign Bill on Friday at 5 p.m., White House Says

57 minutes ago

Colombia President Recalls Ambassador to US

1 hour ago

Riverdale High School Coach Arrested for Allegedly Arranging to Meet Minor

1 hour ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

1 hour ago

Presidential Election Reveals Big Shift in California Voting Patterns. Will It Last?

2 hours ago

US-Backed 60-Day Gaza Ceasefire Envisages Gradual Return of Hostages, Official Says

2 hours ago

After Record Democratic Speech, House Republicans Begin Final Vote on Trump Tax-Cut Bill

2 hours ago

Stocks Hit Record, US Dollar Strengthens After Jobs Data

2 hours ago

Jeffries Sets Record for Floor Speech Before Vote on Trump Tax Bill

2 hours ago

Could Cuddly Colby Be the Darling Gem for You?

2 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

LOS ANGELES – Michael Madsen, an actor who appeared in dozens of films including “Reservoir Dogs” and “Thelma & ...

21 minutes ago

Actor Michael Madsen arrives at the Hollywood Film Awards in Beverly Hills, California November 1, 2015. (Reuters File)
21 minutes ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

Bullard High School’s basketball fundraiser was hit by a $40,000 fireworks theft, with police recovering about $10,800 worth during Fresno raids. (Fresno PD)
22 minutes ago

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

United States Coast Guard Heavy Icebreaker Polar Star (WAGB 10) is shown in this undated photo in Antarctica. (Reuters File)
35 minutes ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

U.S. President Donald Trump visits a temporary migrant detention center informally known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in Ochopee, Florida, U.S., July 1, 2025. (Reuters File)
57 minutes ago

Trump to Sign Bill on Friday at 5 p.m., White House Says

Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks, as he takes part in a meeting, during the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, in Seville, Spain, June 30, 2025. (Reuters File)
1 hour ago

Colombia President Recalls Ambassador to US

A Riverdale High School coach and district employee was arrested for allegedly arranging to meet a minor for sexual purposes after investigators discovered explicit messages sent to a teenage student. (Fresno County SO)
1 hour ago

Riverdale High School Coach Arrested for Allegedly Arranging to Meet Minor

President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. June 21, 2025, following U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Pool
1 hour ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

2 hours ago

Presidential Election Reveals Big Shift in California Voting Patterns. Will It Last?

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend