The anti-maskers provoking shop staff by flouting restrictions: Woman who boasts she 'didn't clap for the NHS' and smoker with face tattoo are among mob of rule-breakers sharing videos of themselves not covering-up in stores
- Anti-maskers have flouted new laws which make wearing of face coverings in shops in England mandatory
- Lara Crabb talked of 'people avoiding me like the plague' as she went shopping in farm store in Devon
- Male tattoo artist told Sainsbury's staff that they 'can't enforce the policy' as he bought a pack of cigarettes
- Shoppers in other parts of England confronted other customers for not wearing face coverings today
Anti-maskers have been flouting new coronavirus laws in force today which make the wearing of face coverings in shops, banks and shopping centres across England compulsory.
Lara Crabb spoke of people avoiding her 'like the plague' as she filmed herself shopping in a farm store and a Tesco branch in Devon without covering her nose and mouth with a mask.
Meanwhile tattoo artist Aron Walton filmed himself entering a Sainsbury's branch without a face covering which he dismissed as useless as he told staff they cannot enforce the new policy.
In London a Twitter account under the moniker 'Mr. Grunter' filmed the moment he entered a Boots store and asked a guard if he could enter without a face covering as he claimed he 'can't wear a mask'.
And a shocking video posted on Facebook entitled 'play by your own rules' shows Reis Daniel being told to wear a mask in Sainsbury's before grabbing a bag of sweets without paying and running out the store laughing.
The videos were uploaded as shoppers in other parts of England confronted other customers for not wearing masks, while McDonald's staff kicked out diners for not covering their faces.
People in England now have to wear masks in all shops, stations, banks and post offices, though there is confusion with different firms having different policies on coverings - and whether or not to force customers to wear them.
Sainsbury's, Asda, Co-Op and Costa Coffee are among the firms saying they would not police the coronavirus rules, which also require people to cover their faces in all transport hubs, shopping centres and petrol stations.
McDonald's, on the other hand, are enforcing the rules, with customers in a Chelmsford, Essex branch ordered to leave the fast food diner for not wearing a face mask.
Meanwhile, customers reported seeing fights break out in supermarkets, with masked shoppers confronting those not wearing a covering. One person wrote: '10:05am I entered Sainsbury’s, 10:08am there’s a fight in the second isle because someone hasn’t got a mask on and the lady with her kid was panicking and shouting at the anti masker ..... end result? Lady picks up a tub of double cream and throws it in their face.'
It comes as:
- Boris Johnson admitted that his Government could have done things 'differently' early on in the pandemic;
- A Tory peer and health minister today suggested that gloves could also become mandatory when shopping;
- Care minister Helen Whately defended the short notice regarding the issuing of guidance just yesterday;
- Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the move was essential for preventing a second wave of coronavirus;
- Union leaders have voiced fears that the new rules on face coverings could put workers' safety at risk.
Lara Crabb spoke of people avoiding her 'like the plague' as she filmed herself shopping in a farm store and a Tesco branch in Devon without covering her nose and mouth with a mask. Meanwhile tattoo artist Aron Walton filmed himself entering a Sainsbury's branch without a face covering as he told staff they cannot enforce the new policy
Lara Crabb, whose social media is linked to a website for anti-lockdown group Keep Britain Free, tweeted today that she 'didn't clap for the NHS once', explaining: 'They are paid to do their job'
Ms Crabb, whose social media profile is linked to a website for the anti-lockdown campaign group Keep Britain Free, uploaded her anti-mask crusade videos this morning.
After shopping in a local farm store without a mask, she recorded herself telling how other shoppers 'were avoiding me like the plague' and 'trolleys were going around me as if I was some big obstruction', adding: 'You can sort of see in people's eyes what they're thinking when they see you without a mask, it's so sad that it's come to this'.
Ms Crabb, who was wearing a cap and a pink top, said she had 'never felt so uncomfortable in a shop in all my life' and noted that the 'staff were amazing' and 'looked at me like a normal customer'.
Facebook user Aron Walton filmed himself walking around a Sainsbury's store with a grin on his face as he then asked a member of staff 'what's the policy' before telling him the rule cannot be enforced.
Twitter account 'Mr. Grunt' recorded video of the moment he approached a Boots store and asked the masked guard if he could enter, to which the guard replied 'yes, there are masks back there'.
In the video, which was posted online with the caption 'Well done @BootsUK! #NoMasks', the man says 'I can't wear a mask, is that ok' before the masked guard responds 'yeah, that's ok'.
And in London, Facebook user Reis Daniel says 'f*** it, I'm going in' before he is told by a member of Sainsbury's staff that he is not allowed in the store without a covering.
Mr Daniel responds 'man, that's rough' before he snatches a bag of sweets by the check-out counter without paying for them and sprinting out of the store laughing.
Under the rules, even customers entering banks must don a mask, but young children and people with medical conditions affected by masks are exempt from wearing them.
Police are now urging shops to refuse entry to people not wearing face coverings, with John Apter, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, saying: 'I would urge retail outlets to play their part in making the rules crystal clear - if you are not wearing a face covering then you are not coming in. Officers will be there to help stores if needed - but only as a last resort, as we simply do not have the resources.'
Speaking about those who might have exemptions, Mr Apter added: 'If you're out shopping today and you see somebody not wearing a face covering it may be because they have a hidden disability. Don't jump to conclusions, don't have a go at them. This is new for us all, it's about keeping each other safe. Please be nice!'
There was confusion within hours of the new rules coming into effect, with shopper Alan Gregg claiming he was at a Tesco store in Balby, South Yorkshire, at 6am for shopping this morning, 'and the lady at the door said to me face masks are not compulsory in this store'. Tesco has been contacted for comment.
Another Twitter user told Costa Coffee that he was boycotting their stores, saying: 'Due to your stance on face masks I will no longer be using your outlets despite being a customer for more years than I can remember.'
Failure to comply could result in a £100 spot fine, although police forces have indicated they will only respond as a 'last resort'. Scotland Yard said it hopes shoppers who refuse to wear masks will be 'shamed' into compliance.
A mask can only be removed in a shop for a small number of reasons, such as allowing staff to check someone's identity or age or to communicate with a deaf lip reader. Shop staff do not have to wear coverings but it is 'strongly recommended' that employers ask them to do so unless they have other precautions such as screens.
A shopper wearing a mask in a supermarket in London as coverings become mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England
McDonald's are enforcing the rules, with customers in a Chelmsford, Essex branch ordered to leave for not wearing a mask. Pictured is a Manchester McDonald's
A shopper leaves Tesco on Goodge Street in Central London not wearing a face mask despite the new rules from today. Young children and people with medical conditions affected by a mask are exempt from the regulations
People leave a B&M store in Slough (left) and a Londis petrol station shop in Chirton, North Tyneside (right), without masks
Some people wear masks while others do not at a Pret a Manger outlet in London this morning after the new rules were introduced. The new guidance states face coverings will be required in takeaway sandwich shops like Pret
Some shoppers wear masks while others do not when leaving a Tesco store on Goodge Street in London this morning
Martin Mac tweeted this picture of two people wearing face masks at Williams & Co Trade Only Plumbing and Heating Supplies in Basingstoke, Hampshire, this morning
Shoppers visit the Tesco Extra store in Shieldfield, Newcastle, this morning, buying groceries without wearing a face mask
One woman wears a face mask at a Lidl in Camden Town, while another goes without as the two pass each other in the store
Shoppers seen in supermarkets in Camden Town without face masks after becoming compulsory today in all shops
Contrast: A woman in Selfridges on Oxford Street, London wears a face mask (left), while a shopper in Pret a Manger in Camden Town goes without (right)
A shopper is handed a protective mask on entering a supermarket in Ealing on the day face coverings became mandatory in shops in the UK
Passengers at Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport wearing face masks this afternoon following the change in law making them mandatory in transport hubs
Face coverings will have to be worn in shops, supermarkets and shopping centres as well as train stations and airports under new rules set to apply across England from today
Airline staff wearing face masks at Heathrow Airport this afternoon. Failure to comply with the rules could result in a £100 fine although the police have suggested that they will not be aggressively enforcing the policy
In Essex, the county council has commissioned a series of badges to help those exempt from wearing masks who are concerned about negative reactions, saying: 'I have a valid medical reason for not wearing a face mask.'
The new rules are contentious, with some people finding masks uncomfortable and some libertarians complaining they are being 'muzzled' by the state.
Among those complaining about the rules was a visitor to dress alterations shop Village Alterations in Melling, Merseyside, which is run by Sarah Knight, 46.
She said: 'I have five customers so far this morning and fortunately they have all been wearing masks. However one man grumbled: 'This is ridiculous - they don't work anyway'. And then he said it was very late in the day that the rule came in.
'But he was still wearing one. I wouldn't serve anyone or let anyone come in without wearing one. I would refuse to serve them. I have a mask on when people come into the shop.'
A shopper without a face mask outside a Tesco store in Leicester. Face coverings have become mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England from today
Face coverings are now mandatory in shops and supermarkets across England. Under new rules introduced by the Government, people will need to cover their nose and mouth or face a fine of up to £100. People with disabilities are exempt
Shoppers seen in supermarkets in Camden Town without face masks after becoming compulsory today in all shops
Despite face coverings becoming mandatory in shops today, Britons all over the country continued to flout the rules as they shopped
A shopper wearing a mask outside Iceland in Leicester. Face coverings have become mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England
A shopper wearing a face mask in Selfridges on Oxford Street, London today after the coverings became mandatory today
Shoppers wearing face masks in Selfridges on Oxford Street, London this afternoon as the coverings became required today
A shopper wears a face mask at Primark on Oxford Street in London this morning as the new rules come into force
A shopper wearing a face mask in a Waitrose supermarket in East London today as coverings become mandatory in shops
A shopper wearing a face mask in Selfridges on Oxford Street, London, as face coverings become mandatory in shops and supermarkets in England
A shopper wearing a face mask in Boots on Oxford Street in London today as face coverings become mandatory in shops
The laws could be in place until at least January, and could even last a year, unless the Government decides to scrap them in the meantime.
Face coverings are already mandatory in shops in Scotland and will be compulsory in shops in Northern Ireland from August 1.
A report recently published by the Royal Society suggests that even basic homemade face coverings can reduce transmission if enough people wear them when in public.
The study, based on mathematical modelling, showed that if an entire population wore face coverings that were only 75 per cent effective, it would bring the R value, which is the number of people an infected individual passes the virus on to, from 4.0 to under 1.0, without the need for lockdowns.
Another Royal Society report suggests the use of cotton masks is associated with a 54 per cent lower odds of infection in comparison to the no mask groups, when tested in a healthcare setting.
Melinda Mills, Nuffield professor of sociology, at the University of Oxford, told a webinar: 'So that should suggest that when you're generally in the public that it should offer you some, not 100 per cent, but it does offer you some protection.'
Meanwhile, another study which looked at coronavirus deaths across 198 countries found that nations which had policies favouring mask-wearing had lower death rates.
In another piece of scientific research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last month, scientists calculated that wearing face coverings prevented more than 78,000 infections in Italy between April 6 and May 9, and more than 66,000 infections in New York City between April 17 and May 9.
Experts say the risk of coronavirus transmission appears to be higher in poorly ventilated indoor spaces and wearing face coverings in small shops or enclosed shopping centres could help reduce the spread.
Keith Neal, emeritus professor of the epidemiology of infectious diseases at the University of Nottingham, said: 'Lack of strong evidence of their effectiveness should not be considered a problem but the evidence is accumulating that they have a part to play in reducing transmission and also in protecting the wearer.'
In addition, there is also increased evidence which suggests that many people with the virus who do not have symptoms can still be contagious.
Ideally the face coverings should be made of multilayer high quality cotton. Where possible they should be should be worn in indoor confined spaces and crowded spaces, especially where social distancing cannot be maintained.
Japan follows the three Cs, closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings. When wearing a face covering, it should cover the mouth and nose with no gaps.
The WHO advises a three-layer face covering in the community - the outer layer should be water resistant, the inner should be water absorbent and the mid-layer acts as a filter.
It emphasises that a face covering alone cannot protect people from Covid-19, and must be combined with social distancing of at least a metre and regular hand washing.
The Government has said coverings can be made from scarves, bandanas or other fabric items, as long as they cover the mouth and nose.
But scientists at the Leverhulme Centre, who studied different types of face coverings used by members of the public, say some coverings are not as effective as others, with loosely woven fabrics, such as scarves, shown to be the least effective.
Prof Mills, director of the Leverhulme Centre, said: 'Attention must also be placed on how well it fits on the face; it should loop around the ears or around the back of the neck for better coverage.'
Prof Mills says cloth coverings are an effective way to protect the wearer and those around them.
She says that face masks and coverings cannot be seen in isolation and are part of a package that involves hand hygiene and social distancing. Consistent and effective public messaging is vital, she concluded.
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