NewsFear of the Omicron variant: England returns to the...

Fear of the Omicron variant: England returns to the mask requirement

After several months of freedom, people in England have to get used to wearing masks again.

London – It was a big celebration in Great Britain when Prime Minister Boris Johnson proclaimed Freedom Day on July 19, 2021. No more distance rules, no mask requirement, finally big events again. That’s all over for now, at least when it comes to wearing masks.

As a precautionary measure against the new Omikron variant of the Corona virus, wearing face protection has been mandatory again in shops and public transport in England since Tuesday (30.11.2021).

Mask requirement in England: Hardly checked in practice

Previously, the obligation to wear a mask only applied in certain places, such as some supermarkets and the London Underground. However, the regulation was hardly enforced in practice. In theaters, restaurants, bars, clubs and cinemas, there is still no need for a mask, vaccination or test certificates. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own somewhat stricter rules. A total of 14 cases of the Omikron variant have so far been found in Great Britain.

Auch Boris Johnson trägt wieder Maske.

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Boris Johnson is also wearing a mask again.

UK shopkeepers, meanwhile, have expressed concern that the new rule could have serious implications for their businesses. This is precisely at a time when violence and insults against employees in the retail and hospitality industry are higher than ever before. So there is criticism: According to a BBC report, a boutique owner in Leeds worries that customers will no longer be able to come into her shop if a mask requirement applies again. “We have a lot of nice customers who have helped us through a difficult time, but people are a little frustrated,” says Katie Pitts. “We are a retail business that is not essential to life. So if our customers don’t feel like wearing a mask, they might not come in. “

Mask requirement in England: Many do not know how to wear a mask properly

Nigel Bourne, owner of a kitchen shop in Sussex, told the BBC that the mask requirement “should never have been reintroduced”. Instead, he says he would like the government to “advertise” the voluntary wearing of masks. Many people still don’t know how to wear a face mask properly. The shopkeeper said he didn’t have to call the police because people weren’t wearing masks because no one was abusive. But he should have asked customers to leave his shop because they weren’t wearing a face mask and didn’t have one with them.

All in all, Nigel Bourne shows understanding for the government’s decision: “We do it for ourselves and for other people. I don’t want to work in a shop where people don’t wear their masks properly. If the law says that you have to wear a mask, then so should you. “

Concerned about the Omikron variant: Return to mandatory quarantine upon entry

Meanwhile, the travel industry criticized the return of expensive PCR tests and quarantine after entry: Arrivals have had to go into quarantine since Tuesday morning for fear of the Omikron variant until they receive a negative test result. Something that should prevent many tourists from traveling to the Isel for a few days to shop, especially at Christmas time. (Stefan Krieger with dpa)

Header list image: © Daniel Leal / afp

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