Covid 19 - What you need to know – Face Covering Regulations

On the 24th July new Regulations came into force in England requiring members of the public to wear a face covering whilst entering or remaining in a relevant place (The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) Regulations 2020), which were subsequently amended with effect from Saturday 8th August (The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020). The Secretary of State must carry out a review of the need for the requirements in these Regulations within the period of 6 months of their coming into force.

The new Regulations define “relevant places” as; require people to wear face coverings while entering or remain in:

1. shops
2. enclosed shopping centres
3. banks, building societies, and credit unions
4. post offices
5. indoor places of worship;
6. crematoria and burial ground chapels;
7. museums;
8. galleries;
9. cinemas;
10. public libraries;
11. public spaces in hotels (such as lobby areas); and
12. community centres.

The requirement to wear face coverings does not apply to:

1. children (under 11 years)
2. business owners, employers or employees in their workplaces
3. an employee of an operator of a public transport service acting in the course of their employment;
4. a person who enters or is within a transport hub in a vehicle (other than a vehicle being used for the provision of a public transport service);
5. a constable or police community support officer acting in the course of their duty;
6. an emergency responder (other than a constable) acting in their capacity as an emergency responder;
7. a relevant official acting in the course of their employment or their duties. (includes local authority officers, inspectors / surveyors of ships and H&S officers, pilots, civil aviation inspectors, and border force officers).

The following premises are NOT specified in the Regulaitons:

1. Restaurants, bars and pubs
2. Public libraries and public reading rooms.
3. Premises providing professional, legal or financial services.
4. Premises (other than registered pharmacies) providing wholly or mainly medical or dental services, audiology services, chiropody, chiropractic, osteopathic, optometry or other medical services including services relating to mental health.
5. Veterinary services.
6. Cinemas.
7. Theatres.
8. Museums, galleries (other than for the sale or hire of artwork), aquariums, indoor zoos or visitor farms, or other indoor tourist, heritage or cultural sites.
9. Nightclubs.
10. Dance halls.
11. Bingo halls.
12. Concert halls, exhibition halls or other public hall.
13. Conference and exhibition centres.
14. Indoor fitness studios, gyms, dance studios, leisure centres, indoor swimming pools, water parks, bowling alleys, funfairs, theme parks, amusement arcades, indoor soft play areas, skating rinks or other premises for indoor sports, leisure, adventure or recreation activities.
15. Indoor sports arenas or stadia.
16. Casinos.
17. Non-public spaces in Hotels and hostels.
18. Spas.
19. Nail, beauty, hair salons and barbers.
20. Tattoo and piercing parlours.
21. Massage parlours.
22. Storage and distribution centres.
23. Funeral directors.
24. Photography studios.
25. Auction houses.

Guidance explaining when to wear a face covering and how to make your own has been published by the Government and can be found here.