Mayor of London, , has today written to the Prime
Minister, calling on him to make face coverings mandatory in public
places where it isn’t possible to keep a safe distance from others.
Face coverings are mandatory in shops in Scotland from today, and
Sadiq has been joined by the British Medical Association and the
Royal Society in calling for the wider use of face coverings.
The letter reads as follows...
Dear Prime Minister,
I welcome this week’s easing of lockdown and the reopening of
London. Londoners are eager to support their local businesses and
see their friends and family. As many businesses and venues begin
to open their doors again to the public it is even more important
that we do all we can to keep people safe.
The evidence is clear that wearing face coverings in enclosed
public places can reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus
and I am disappointed and frustrated that the Government has not
taken this opportunity to make face coverings mandatory in busy
and enclosed public places. I simply don’t understand why we
wouldn’t use all the tools at our disposal to try and stop the
spread of this virus, so I am urging you to take more decisive
action on this.
Since my last letter to you on 18 June, Scotland has announced
they will make face coverings mandatory in shops from the 10
July. I have also been joined by the British Medical Association
and the Royal Society in calling for the wider use of face
coverings. Their intervention comes following yet more evidence
and analysis of their impact from the DELVE initiative and the
Royal Society’s SET-C (Science in Emergencies Tasking – COVID 19)
group. As the President of the Royal Society notes, we are
already way behind other countries in providing clear policies
and guidelines on face coverings to the public. I would ask you
to heed the call of our medical and scientific experts.
We continue to learn more about coronavirus and how it is spread.
Just this week 239 scientists in 32 countries wrote an open
letter to the WHO outlining the evidence and calling on the
medical community to recognise the potential for airborne
transmission of the virus. We cannot afford to be complacent. We
must respond quickly to new insights and take swift action to
reduce risk wherever we can.
Face coverings are not only vital for public health. They could
play an increasing role in supporting public confidence and our
economic recovery. Businesses across the capital need to
encourage customers back or they will not survive, and the
widespread use of face coverings are a visible signal that
Londoners are willing to take the steps needed to keep each other
safe. They show how seriously, as a society, we are treating the
threat of coronavirus and they are a physical reminder that the
virus is still out there.
Making face coverings mandatory in enclosed public places where
you can’t keep your distance from others, like shops and
hairdressers, will help us avoid a second wave, keep businesses
open, and ultimately save lives.
Yours sincerely,
Mayor of London
cc Rt Hon MP, Secretary of State for
Health and Social Care , Minister for London
