Boris Johnson announces new COVID-19 rules on face coverings

Yesterday saw the Prime Minister announce further Coronavirus measures in an attempt to slow down the spread of COVID-19 including new rules on face coverings.

Following Boris Johnson’s announcement, an update to The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place and on Public Transport) (England) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 has been published.

There has been an amendment to Regulation 2 where it has been made clear that workers in the places listed in ‘Schedule 3’ are now required to wear masks.

These places include:

• shop workers – not including premises providing legal or financial services
• shopping centres
• restaurants and bars
• banks
• hotels
• cinemas
• post offices
• bingo halls
• public libraries

The reasonable excuse exception still exists for those unable to wear a face mask (for example, because of a disability or where wearing a mask would cause severe distress).

These Regulations have also made it clear that it is the responsibility of the employee to wear a face mask and not the employers. This means that it is the employee who would committing the crime and thus liable to the £200 fine.