London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Aug 28, 2025

The best way to stay safe from Covid in England? Don't ditch the mask

The best way to stay safe from Covid in England? Don't ditch the mask

Boris Johnson’s easing of restrictions is in stark contrast to what other countries are doing to control Omicron
On Wednesday, Boris Johnson’s government announced that plan B measures for England, which were put in place in December, will be scrapped. This includes mandates on face coverings, which will no longer be compulsory in indoor public spaces from 27 January or for secondary school classrooms from 20 January. The Department for Education is likely to remove guidance on their use in school communal areas in the coming days.

This is in stark contrast to what other countries are doing in the midst of the Omicron pandemic – and let’s not forget, this is still a pandemic. With daily Covid-19 case numbers in the UK still above 100,000, and a daily average of more than 250 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, our situation is among the worst in the world. Though our case numbers are indeed falling, this may well be partly due to the measures imposed in plan B, such as wearing face masks and working from home. There is a risk that the removal of these measures could reverse this trend.

Scotland is mitigating against this risk by maintaining the face mask mandate when it removes most restrictions from Monday. The US, meanwhile, is an example of a country enacting more stringent measures in order to bring the pandemic under control. Next week, the Biden administration will make 400m N95 (FFP2) masks available for free in the largest deployment of PPE in US history.

We know that, when they fit well, these high-efficiency masks do an excellent job of protecting wearers and preventing the spread of infection. In fact, on 17 January, the UK Health Security Agency changed its guidance for healthcare workers so that FFP3 respirators (EU-certified masks) must be worn by staff when “caring for patients with a suspected or confirmed infection spread by the airborne route”. This is long overdue.

And yet when it comes the public, the government seems much happier to throw caution to the wind. For people in England, the use of face coverings – of any sort – is no longer required. This does not mean that the risk of transmitting Covid-19 or being infected by it has reduced. Omicron continues to be the most infectious variant of Covid-19.

While the mask mandate may have gone, and some people will joyously doff their masks, many will remain rightly concerned about Covid-19, the potential for getting long Covid and the effect that the lack of restrictions will have on the lives of vulnerable people. People will also be keen to avoid time off work isolating with Covid and recovering from the illness.

So how can you protect yourself when most people stop wearing masks? The best way is to wear a mask that is designed to protect the wearer: an FFP2 or FFP3 mask. These are available in pharmacies, supermarkets and online, but you may need to try a few to find one that fits the shape of your face. If you want to avoid exposing others to your exhaled breath, make sure you choose a valveless mask.

Although “disposable”, these masks can be reused until they break or become visibly unhygienic. I recommend using several in rotation, to allow them to “decontaminate” between uses. Masks with head straps will fit better and may last longer. Metal nose clips (as opposed to plastic ones) usually mould better to your nose, providing a closer fit – but unfortunately it can be hard to know before buying them which type of clip is used. While many industry-certified masks come as a standard size, smaller-sized masks are increasingly available.

Nondisposable masks (sometimes called elastomeric respirators, if they are made from rubber) are also available. While these may resemble gas masks, with external cartridges that hold the filters, manufacturers are now designing these for public use, with simple, replaceable FFP2 or FFP3 filters that slot into the plastic frame and look no more threatening than disposable high-efficiency masks.
Advertisement

The government says that it’s now up to us to assess our own risk and how we will mitigate it (although people are still advised to continue to wear face coverings in enclosed or crowded spaces and when meeting strangers). While we may not have choices about going to work or school, or how we get there, if we choose to, we can continue to use face masks to protect ourselves effectively. And don’t forget, anyone can have Covid … not just strangers.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
×