BRITS could be wearing masks for “many years” to stop coronavirus spreading, Britain’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer warned last night.
Jonathan Van-Tam’s warning came after the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued new Covid guidance saying people in offices and schools in areas of high infection should wear masks indoors.
In its beefed-up guidance, WHO also recommended wearing masks if a visitor outside your household came to your home.
But Prof Van Tam appeared to clash with Boris Johnson by making his claim on mask wearing at Wednesday’s Downing Street press conference.
Prof Van-Tam said: “Do I think there will come a big moment where we have a massive party and throw our masks and hand sanitiser and say, ‘That’s it, it’s behind us’, like the end of the war? No, I don’t.
“I think those kind of habits that we have learned from… will perhaps persist for many years, and that may be a good thing if they do.”
WHO’S MASK CALL
Mr Johnson responded: “And maybe… on the other hand, we may want to get back to life as pretty much as close to normal.”
It its new guidance, the WHO said “in areas where the virus is circulating, masks should be worn when you are in a crowded setting”.
Masks should also be worn outside “if you cannot maintain physical distance from others”.
Examples given were at “busy markets, crowded streets and bus stops”.
They should also be worn in rooms where you can’t stay more than one metre from people.
‘SEASONAL PROBLEM’
Asked by Trending In The News at yesterday’s press conference when Covid measures could end, Prof Van Tamsaid the bug is likely to “be with human kind forever” and will become a “seasonal problem.”
His remarks came after Britain became the first country in the world to give a Covid jab the green light.
Experts deem the Belgium-made Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine safe, meaning a rollout to millions of people can now begin.
About 800,000 older people, care home workers and vulnerable people will be able to get access to the vaccine from next week, and millions across December.
‘WITH HUMAN KIND FOREVER’
After he was challenged by the PM on masks, Prof Van-Tam replied: “I do like to be challenged when I have, perhaps, not made myself clear, and the Prime Minister has picked me up on this occasion, and it’s quite alright because it gives me a chance to clarify what I mean here.
“I do not think the Government will continue to have to recommend social distancing, masks, and hand sanitiser forever and a day.
“I hope we will get back to a much more normal world.
“But, the point I was trying to make was – do I think, possibly, some of those personal habits for some people will persist longer, and, perhaps, become enduring for some people, yes, I think that’s possible.”
