Are face masks mandatory? What are the different rules for England and Scotland after UK Government announcement?
Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement on Monday afternoon (July 5) to say that numerous coronavirus restrictions such as social distancing, face masks and working from home would soon be relaxed in order to help life get back to normal. The Prime Minister declared that covid-19 face masks and coverings will no longer be mandatory to wear in indoor public spaces or on public transport  in a move which is already proving controversial and being questioned by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham. The approach is expected to mean that from "Freedom Day" for England in a fortnight's time, face masks will no longer be required in many settings and social distancing restrictions will be removed in pubs and restaurants. Sign up to our daily newsletter The i newsletter cut through the noise Sign up Thanks for signing up! Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. (Image credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)  Speaking ahead of his press conference on Monday afternoon, Mr Johnson said:  "As we begin to learn to live with this virus, we must all continue to carefully manage the risks from Covid and exercise judgment when going about our lives." Scientists and medical experts have urged caution as Boris Johnson prepares to tear up England's coronavirus rules on July 19. National Clinical Director of Scotland Professor Jason Leitch appeared on BBC Good Morning Scotland on Monday to argue that wearing face masks is a selfless act which should stay in place as positive coronavirus cases continue to rise. In the meantime, here are the current rules for wearing face masks in the UK and details on what the proposed easing of face mask restrictions in England would mean for Scotland. Right now, face masks or coverings need not be worn when gathering outdoors, but are required for most indoor public spaces like shops, restaurants, museums, taxis and transport hubs. The most recent easing of restrictions saw people in Scotlands level two areas being able to remove face masks when seated to eat or drink in a pub, bar or restaurant  as was also the case in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Face masks were also strongly advised to be worn in care homes and healthcare settings to prevent the spread of the virus. The Prime Ministers announcement will likely see many people cease to wear face masks on trains, planes and in shops after making them optional. Once face masks rules are relaxed in England on July 19 and made a matter of personal choice, this does not mean that the same will apply to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as all four nations have their own separate rules and covid-19 restrictions even if they appear to be quite similar. While Scotland is still expected to move into level 0 on July 19, with all restrictions potentially lifted on a provisional date of August 9, this does not mean that rules on wearing face masks and social distancing will no longer apply. Indeed, the Scottish Government has said that they will be prioritising caution as the Delta variant of coronavirus continues to see high numbers of positive cases across Scotland. Despite Boris Johnsons announcement on Monday, face masks will remain mandatory in indoor public spaces for the time being in Scotland unless you are exempt from wearing them due to a medical condition or similar matter. The Scottish Government also advises people to wear a face covering in indoor places where social distancing with people from outside your household is not possible  with the same applying to outdoor gatherings too. The full list and details of possible exemptions are available to read on the Scottish Governments website here. Face masks or coverings are required across all levels in Scotland, from zero to four, and must be worn even if you have been double vaccinated. As cases in Scotland continue to show the highest infection rates in Europe, the First Minister has repeatedly said that face masks remain an essential way to stop people from unknowingly passing on the virus  especially when the Delta variant appears to be more easily transmissible and harder to detect. For more information, visit the Scottish Governments full face covering guidance at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-public-use-of-face-coverings/pages/overview/. Additional reporting by PA Political Editor David Hughes  A message from the Editor:  Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.