BRITS should wear face masks in crowded outdoor spaces to combat the spread of Covid-19, SAGE has warned.
Documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies say the public should consider wearing masks in parks and supermarket queues to stop mutant strains.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
The papers say public advice should be “strengthened” so that restrictions are followed “more consistently and effectively”, according to The Daily Telegraph.
It reads: “Consideration should be given to using face coverings in a wider range of settings where people could be asymptomatic and may be in close proximity (less than two metres).
“This may include outdoor spaces where it is difficult to maintain distance and people may be close together for extended periods.”
It explains that the risk of being infected is high in “semi-enclosed spaces” but that face coverings should be worn anywhere where it is difficult to keep 2metres distance.
And the documents which were written up on January 13 also lay out recommendations for workplaces.
It says face coverings should be worn in corridors and communal areas and if social distancing can’t be enforced then workers should be tested regularly and should be placed in “bubbles.”
Earlier this month the Welsh health minister said its citizens should wear face masks in outdoor public places.
Vaughan Gething called for people to wear masks whenever they leave their home as coronavirus cases have continued to soar.
And Over Christmas London mayor Sadiq Khan called for face coverings to be worn outside the home when he declared a major incident in the capital.
Masks are already compulsory on public transport, in railways stations, airports and shops and before the lockdown, customers were required to wear them in pubs, restaurants and cafes before being seated.
The government advises wearing a face mask if it’s difficult to social distance from others but scientists had said the risk of catching the killer bug outdoors isn’t as likely as being indoors.
Face masks have always been recommended in crowded spaces but are on the whole not compulsory in outdoor spaces.
This includes when walking down the street and sitting in the park.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “As infections and hospitalisations remain high, it is absolutely paramount that everyone stays at home and follows the rules to stop the virus spreading further, protect the NHS and save lives.”
