Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called on the Government to re-impose mandatory face masks on public transport and has recommended that members of the public wear them voluntarily in the meantime. Khan has also called on Londoners to protect the NHS this winter by receiving a Covid booster vaccine when it becomes available, as well as to book a place for the annual flu jab. The MailOnline has the story.
The Government has been resistant to bringing in ‘Plan B’ measures, which would see the reintroduction of mandatory facemasks indoors and guidance to work from home and the use of Covid passports.
Mr Khan called for Londoners to get vaccinated against Covid and the flu to protect the NHS this winter.
It comes as official data shows more and more adults in their 30s and 40s are choosing to wear face masks on buses and trains amid spiralling Covid cases.
An Office for National Statistics poll found 33% of middle-aged adults wore coverings while on public transport at the start of September.
But just a month later this had ticked upwards to almost 40%, despite no change in official guidance.
The London Mayor said in a statement that the “deadly virus has not gone away and this winter we’re facing both flu and Covid”.
He added: “The worst thing we can do is to lower our guard, be complacent and underestimate the risk these viruses pose to all of us.
“The situation with Covid in London is so finely balanced that it needs all of us to act together to protect ourselves, our loved ones, the things we enjoy and our NHS this winter.
“That’s why I’m urging all eligible Londoners to have the booster vaccine and flu jab as soon as you are offered it, continue to wear a mask where you can and I’m calling on the Government to put simple and effective steps, such as mandatory face coverings on public transport, in place to halt the spread of the virus now.”
The Mayor’s comments came after a leading scientist suggested measures in ‘Plan B’ may not be needed if data continues to show a decline in cases.
Worth reading in full.
