TODAY marks two weeks since face coverings became mandatory in shops across Scotland.
So far, just one person has been handed a £60 fine for not complying with the rules – as the country tries to further control the suppression of the coronavirus.
The Scottish Government say that in enclosed spaces, where physical distancing is more difficult with people who are not members of your household, you should wear a face covering.
By law, you must wear a covering in shops and on public transport – with similar rules coming into force in England today.
But there are some parts of the guidance that many people seem to be forgetting.
They are:
- When applying or removing the covering, it is important that you wash/sanitise your hands first and avoid touching your face.
- After EACH USE, you must wash the face covering at 60 degrees centigrade or dispose of it safely.
Who Is exempt from wearing a covering?
Some people are not required to wear a face covering.
These include:
- Children under five years of age.
- Police constables or workers such as paramedics acting in the course of their duty.
- Staff such as drivers or checkout assistants who are physically separated, by means of, for example, screens, from passengers or customers.
- Shop workers if they maintain a 2 metre distance from customers or members of the public.
You are required by law to wear a face covering in Scotland's shops and on public transport (some exemptions apply).
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) July 24, 2020
Find out how you can #StaySafe and protect others ⬇️
You may also have a reasonable excuse not to wear a face covering if, for example:
- You have a health condition or you are disabled and a face covering would be inappropriate because it would cause difficulty, pain or severe distress or anxiety or because you cannot apply a covering and wear it in the proper manner safely and consistently.
Individual discretion should be applied in considering the use of face coverings for other children including, for example, children with breathing difficulties and disabled children who would struggle to wear a face covering.
- You need to eat or drink.
- You are taking medication.
- You are communicating with someone else who relies on lip reading.
- A relevant person, such as a police officer, asks you to remove your face covering.
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Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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