Welsh Conservatives voice disappointment as wearing of face coverings indoors still not compulsory

The Welsh Conservatives have voiced their disappointment that the wearing of face coverings indoors is still not compulsory in Wales.

In England, face masks have been made mandatory to prevent the spread of coronavirus in a number of enclosed settings, including shops and hairdressers.

Despite making face coverings a requirement on public transport, the Welsh Government has not followed suit.

The advice issued by ministers is that three layer masks are “recommended” in certain situations where social distancing is not possible.

But the Welsh Conservatives say the Labour administration has not gone far enough and should follow England’s lead.

Responding to the government’s announcement yesterday regarding the further easing of Covid-19 restrictions, Clwyd West MS Darren Millar said: “We welcome the further relaxation of coronavirus restrictions as outlined by the Welsh Labour-led Government, but remain disappointed that the mandatory use of face coverings has not been extended to indoor spaces where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

“Wales must maintain a safe and sensible approach to lifting restrictions which maximises personal freedoms while continuing to reduce the risk of the of the virus spreading. Face coverings are a useful tool in this regard.”

Although wearing face masks has yet to be made compulsory, such measures could be introduced if cases of the virus increase during the autumn and winter.

Other restrictions outlined by the government which could be imposed include:

• closing businesses and venues where transmission is occurring
• restricting the movement of people, such as within a local area
• preventing or limiting the number of people that can meet indoors or outdoors
• limiting how and when people can use public transport, including limiting the number of people in a vehicle or carriage