Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has made it clear that face covering does not mean using surgical masks ahead of the law changing on Monday.
As previously reported by Island Echo, as of Monday 15th June it will now be law to wear some form of face covering when using public transport.
This includes travelling on buses, trains, the chain ferry and cross Solent ferries – anywhere that social distancing cannot be maintained.
During Friday’s Downing Street briefing, Mr Shapps said:
“From Monday, it becomes mandatory in England to wear a face covering on public transport – that includes trains, buses, trams, ferries and planes.
“A ‘face covering’ does not mean a surgical mask.”
Transport operators will be able to refuse permission to travel if you do not comply with the new laws. Red Funnel, Wightlink, Hovertravel, Cowes Chain Ferry and Southern Vectis has made this clear over the past week.
Shapps says he is taking powers through Public Health Act leading to fines for non-compliance:
“But for clarity, transport operators will be able to refuse permission to travel where someone isn’t using a face covering…
“And this weekend I am taking powers through the Public Health Act leading to fines for non-compliance too.
“We’ll take a gentle approach to enforcement during the first couple of days.”
It has also been announced that it will be mandatory to wear face coverings when attending healthcare appointments.
Shapps says that picking up your face covering should be as important as picking up your mobile phone, wallet or purse when you leave your home each time.
Although lockdown restrictions are continuously being eased, the virus is still a threat.
Face coverings can be made at home and you can find the guidance at GOV.UK.
The usual an ‘as clear as mud’ statement from Shapps. So a face covering does not mean a surgical mask but he doesn’t then explain or provide guidance as to what else can constitute a face covering. If I put my hands over my nose and mouth is that ok? Good luck to public transport staff trying to enforce the rule. I can see a lot of disputes taking place at our transport stops.
Yes it should be stated a lot clearer what will be allowed and what isn’t.
Even if it was, you can bet that there will still be a rule for them and a rule with fines for the common people.
DO as i say and not as i do attitude by those in power have made these rules worthless.
Just look at the raves held in the Manchester area ! ! ! !
be interesting to see how they handle someone who is disabled & is exempt they do not have the power to question your disability so they cant ask what exempts you your medical details are private will they refuse travel
It’s quite simple cover your face, it does not mean it has to be a surgical mask, so it can be a scarf, something fashioned from a towel. So basically something you can make at home. And obviously not your hands because you will then go and touch stuff leaving saliva on any surfaces.
You can even make a face mask out of an old sock, or cut up a t-shirt and make two holes for the ears. Nobody need spend money for this.
Yes good luck to transport workers a friend of mine who works for an island transport firm it would be unfair on her to say which but she showed me her company employee statement which starts by explaining all the government guide lines and the list of persons who are exempt. then on the end parogarphs it explains that as an employee you can’t police it and should avoid any confrontation if someone doesn’t comply and the whole booklet is so confusing and leaves so many holes and unanswered questions it really is unfair. I don’t know if its done deliberately but it seems it could be setup so if an employee does the wrong thing trying to do right thing and vice versa the the company can move the goal posts and point the fat Alan sugar finger at them and lay the blame at them to save the company’s a**e. So yes good luck transport workers.
All the whinging nit picking lot are moaning already. HMG should just let you all take your dim chances and tell you nothing. Then you would be moaning of the lack of care.
Look FACT is HMG know none of this will do ‘much’ good to save you, but, like the brace brace call in an airplane crash, it is ‘something’ to give a little hope, and one in a million may be saved, and it prevents panic of being told ‘hard luck, you lot are now quite likely to die soon’.
HMG could not care less if you do or don’t, but they are judged on action OR inaction, so best to tell the plebs something rather than ‘just get on with it’ if they wish to be voted in next time around.
You and your miserable little pointless life to them means little imo.
You have missed the point being made here. It’s got nothing to do whether any of this makes a difference but a further example of poor Government guidance that isn’t clear enough for public use. It’s the sort of generic messaging that allowed Dominic Cummings to work a loophole and get away with travelling in lockdown.
We must not forget all those people that did similar things to DC for the health of their children that got fined for doing it and were told their fines would not be refunded.
Just cover your face you dim wit simple!!
Agreed, if he said “material” the answer would be “what material” if he said “plastic” it would be ” is that hard or soft, transparent or not”.
The risks are known so use your common sense if you have any
Common sense is hard to find these days, some people need a nanny state!
Yes good luck to transport workers a friend of mine who works for an island transport firm it would be unfair on her to say which but she showed me her company employee statement which starts by explaining all the government guide lines and the list of persons who are exempt. then on the end parogarphs it explains that as an employee you can’t police it and should avoid any confrontation if someone doesn’t comply and the whole booklet is so confusing and leaves so many holes and unanswered questions it really is unfair. I don’t know if its done deliberately but it seems it could be setup so if an employee does the wrong thing trying to do right thing and vice versa the the company can move the goal posts and point the fat Alan sugar finger at them and lay the blame at them to save the company’s a**e. So yes good luck transport workers
Just wear something that is NOT a mask, plenty on amazon…..
A face covering , you can use a scarf or any home made item of material so long as your mouth and nose are covered.This was made clear earlier in the week so that the use of ‘medical grade’ mask can be kept for use by doctors, nurses and other front line staff.
Please tell me what that actually does ?
Stops people firing their saliva and stops people from touching their face and then touching surfaces
Ha ha ha lol
For goodness sake just do it! or don’t go – simples!
Well what a fat lot of good that will do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It seems to me that there is a lot of ignorance about masks and unfortunately those who take advice from the ill-informed are just plain daft. An (ab)normal face mask will stop dust particles at best, does anyone realise how small the virus actually is. About a million viruses will fit inside of a single cell because the are so small. So the wearing of your mask is oppressive and completely useless !
As I said before, it works!
You know that do you ? Check your fact checker. I have another issue with mask wearing, as I am extremely hard of hearing and rely on lip reading, what am I gonna do ? Placards…sub-titles ?
These people, oh just do it!, are the people that will be responsible for losing our way of life. So sheep,hold out your arm for this injection, oh just do it!. Micro chip coming,oh just do it!. Unbloody believable ,the lack of intelligence is incredibly. Even when the facts,evidence and plain common sense is applied, still,oh just do it! I have made the mistake in giving the majority of the British public a certain high level of intelligence, courage and empathy, I was wrong on every level. So, as the old saying goes you will reap what you sow!
Look out for Bill Gates huh Mr J?
They have been dumbed down for years…is it true or did they watch it on the BBC…I for one will not have the chipped vaccine, which is sponsored by Bill Gates, who incidentally could not keep a virus off his naff software. If you follow the money he is the 2nd largest donor to the W.H.O…various pharmaceutical companies…the Oxford laboratory (which is busy making your vaccine) of course the BBC 🙂 and stands to make a mint when he vaccinates 7 billion healthy people. You make your choice sheepies…google vaccine injury as well.
Quote “The UK Government has paid out about £73million to nearly 1000 children and adults, representing 1 in 8 claimants who were minimum 60% injured by a vaccine between 1979-2014** ~ Vaccines have been accepted by most governments to cause a multitude of devastating injuries, including brain damage, seizure disorders, deafness, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and death. ~ If you or your child suffers injury or a new health condition after vaccination please ask your GP or pharmacist to complete a Yellowcard, or go online yourself to ensure this is recorded.”
Dear real islander ,you can get all the evidence, facts and figs, all legit and show the sheep,I’ve done just that,but you are wasting your time. These sheep are way in to deep, only the liars( government) and the bbc are their sources of information.,even when the liars and bbc do a u turn on everything they have said,the sheep still follow. Even when the liars take the piss out of the sheep,they follow. So forget trying to help them,just watch them dig their own grave.
Weird that they use them in healthcare???
Yes they use them in operations to stop saliva and other fluids dropping into the open wound,not against viruses. If against viruses they use a bio suit,remember them people!? That is the only way to stop viruses. So the mask is useless, just like dr facial said back in January . Hes the chief scientist for the WHO that is advising all countries around the world. Dont believe me? Research it then.
I would not trust the W.H.O. they are sponsored by Bill Gates…he is the 2nd largest donor and he was a bad software engineer.
Science and research doesn`t stop, so why has Germany introduced compulsory face masks a few weeks ago? And in shops as well, which I would advise every UK citizen to do as well.
Yes healthcare masks (surgical ) and they are asking you not to wear them !!!!
Do you know if I sneeze your dust mask is about as much use as a nappie !!!
Not quite, because when you sneeze or cough you produce large droplets which can very well be caught up by a mask. Only when these droplets travel through a room do they become smaller.
Face masks should be changed every 15 minutes because they get wet and will pick up other infections, I really don’t think most people will change their mask every fifteen minutes.
Island council Licensing department have said taxi drivers don’t have to wear a mask, but they also say a taxi driver can refuse a fair if a passenger refuse to wear a mask…
Why publish a photo of people wearing the type of mask that the article says is not required?
Surely a picture of people wearing bandanas, scarves, home-mades etc -which are acceptable, would have been more appropriate?