Wearing masks after July 19 - readers have their say

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has indicated that wearing masks will no longer be compulsory in shops, pubs, and restaurants after that date.

Wearing face masks will become a matter of ‘personal choice’ but it seems that companies and individuals intend to interpret the change differently.

While, for example, some airlines have confirmed face masks will still be compulsory after July 19, shops, pubs and hairdressers are altering policies.

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Ryanair says masks will be mandatory, regardless of the departing destination.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said he was ‘very relaxed’ if transport operators want to make mask-wearing a condition of carriage, as urged by London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

The World Health Organisation still advises masks should remain mandatory on public transport, in shops and in crowded places.

Clive Watson, chief executive of the City Pub Group, said masks will be encouraged after July 19.

But Chris Jowsey, chief executive of Admiral Taverns, which has 1,000 pubs, said the lifting of all restrictions was ‘long overdue’.

Shop workers union Usdaw has urged the government not to lift Covid safety measures in shops.

“Retail staff are working with the public every day and are deeply worried about catching Covid-19,”said Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary.

He added: “This is not the right time to water down safety in stores and the government should not be removing the requirements for face coverings and distancing in busy public areas like shops.”

But Sainsbury’s boss Simon Roberts says mask wearing in stores would be a matter of “personal choice” after July 19.

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While some readers said they would stop wearing their masks, many readers said they would continue to wear them.

FRANCESS JALLOW: Yes I continue to wear my mask

ROBERT CRIPPS: “I not going to leave my place without my mask. So the answer to your question is yes. I’m going to still wear my mask. I’ll feel naked without my mask.”

JENNY SHEPHERD: “Yes.”

SALLY SNAPPER: “No. I wear glasses, they steam up and my eyes are constantly sore.”

KIM LOUISE: “Never have worn a mask it’s a rule not the law and it’s time England learnt the difference”

DARREN SMITH: “Nope.”

DEBBIE HOUNSLOW: “Yes and in shops.”

JULIE WALKER: “If you are going into another person’s place of work such as a bus, a shop etc then yes you should be respectful and wear a mask.”

JULIA FAULKNER: “

MICHELE JOHNSON: “Yes in shops as well.”

MICHAEL TODD: “No - nor will I wear one in shops too even though I can be asked to wear one but they cant make me wear one - let’s face it most people won’t anyway.”

JORDON SMITH: “Depends if someone isn’t vaccinated by then - perhaps yes I’ll still wear my mask.”

NOOR HEER: “Yes, yes yes.”

JAMIE LEE BREWER: “Depends if the bus is empty.”

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BERYL BURGESS: “Yes I will in shops and anywhere else packed.”

TONY BENNELL: “Yes, certainly on buses and in shops.”

ALAN BEAMES: “Forget public tyransport - drive a car and stay safe!”

KAT WOOTS: “Yes definitely on public transport.”

MARGARET GILES: “And in supermarkets.”

JOJO ARCHER: “Yes because guaranteed someone that stinks and doesn’t know what soap is for is guaranteed to get on and sit behind me!”

JENNIFER YERBURY: “Yes I think another lockdown is coming.”

NATASHA MARTELL: “Respect should be still here something that we should thing aware off and we need to thing of the vulnerable.”

LEAH GUILLARD-WATTS: “Yes and in shops.”

EMMA ROWLANDS: “Yes, and everywhere that I currently do.”

ELSA ARNOLD: “Yes definitely as there will be another lockdown.”

MELANIE TAYLOR: “It would depend on whether there were other people nearby - got a train back from London to Didcot last weekend and it was dead! Take a common sense approach.”