Face coverings mandatory in shops in Scotland

[Silver Cobra]

It's been announced in the last 10 minutes that face coverings will be mandatory in all shops in Scotland from 9th July.

Coronavirus: Face coverings to become mandatory in Scottish shops

The use of face coverings is to be made mandatory in shops in Scotland when coronavirus restrictions are eased.

www.bbc.co.uk

The use of face coverings will become mandatory in shops in Scotland from 9 July as coronavirus restrictions are eased, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Non-essential shops have re-opened in Scotland and bars and restaurants are due to open up again later this month.

The first minister said the 2m physical distancing rule would be eased for some premises when the country enters the next "phase" of its routemap on 9 July.

And she said face coverings would be mandatory in shops from that date.

Ms Sturgeon also announced that children under the age of 12 would no longer need to maintain physical distancing from other households.

 

[Butts]

While this isn't specifically referring to just supermarkets, it's been announced in the last 10 minutes that face coverings will be mandatory in all shops in Scotland from 9th July.

Coronavirus: Face coverings to become mandatory in Scottish shops

The use of face coverings is to be made mandatory in shops in Scotland when coronavirus restrictions are eased.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not happy about this, if it was that important why was it not enacted at the same time as the requirement on Public Transport ?

 

[HSTEd]

Not happy about this, if it was that important why was it not enacted at the same time as the requirement on Public Transport ?

Are you sure you want to continue this line of questioning?

 

[trebor79]

Coronavirus: Face coverings to become mandatory in Scottish shops

The use of face coverings is to be made mandatory in shops in Scotland when coronavirus restrictions are eased.

www.bbc.co.uk

The use of face coverings will become mandatory in shops in Scotland as coronavirus restrictions are eased, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Non-essential shops have reopened in Scotland and bars and restaurants are due to open up again later this month.

The first minister said the 2m physical distancing rule would be eased for some premises when the country enters the next phase of its routemap on 10 July.

And she said face coverings would be mandatory in shops from that date.

How likely are we to follow suite in England?
I'm really hoping this is just Nicola Sturgeon trying to one up Boris. I really can't see any justification for this measure, if infection levels start to rise then maybe it's something that could be thought about as an absolute last resort.
Fingers crossed Westminster doesn't do anything as daft as copy this move. That will be the official end of the high street.

 

[duncanp]

I'm really hoping this is just Nicola Sturgeon trying to one up Boris.

I think you've nailed it there.

 

[Yew]

Indeed, tokenistic virtue signalling in it's extreme.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

As broadcast on BBC Radio 4's "Dead Ringers" radio show last weekend, Nicola Sturgeon's continuing policy seems to be to do whatever is the complete opposite of what Boris Johnson does, and this seems to be yet another example!

 

[Baxenden Bank]

While this isn't specifically referring to just supermarkets, it's been announced in the last 10 minutes that face coverings will be mandatory in all shops in Scotland from 9th July.

Coronavirus: Face coverings to become mandatory in Scottish shops

The use of face coverings is to be made mandatory in shops in Scotland when coronavirus restrictions are eased.

www.bbc.co.uk

Anyone would think she was hell bent on removing any kind of freedom or pleasure in life whilst completely destroying the economy. Is she a Wee Free Presbyterian?

Glad I cancelled my Scottish holidays this year!

I have a new plan. In future, I shall spend my money where it is welcome, looks like most of this will be going to Amazon!

 

[Smidster]

I would be very surprised if this is not included in the English regulations when they are updated before Saturday - though I hope I am wrong.

It seems that right now we have pretty low infection rates and where we do have outbreaks they are pretty well contained within localities - this is a bludgeon at a problem that really doesn't seem to be there right now - Another example of introducing more restrictions after the event.

It also does real damage to the economic recovery - We are trying to get people out and about again and this is just another barrier to that. Doing anything is going to be such a chore that who is going to want to venture out? Not least because the first thing you think when you see everyone wearing masks is that there must be a very significant and impending risk everywhere.

 

[trebor79]

I would be very surprised if this is not included in the English regulations when they are updated before Saturday - though I hope I am wrong.

I really hope we escape this nonsense. The litter that this would generate would be awful. Plus it just looks silly and awful everyone going about in masks that aren't fitted properly.
And wearing a mask is horrible for the user too.
I'll be deploying my anxiety excuse if it comes in here.
I don't think there's widespread support for this, otherwise there would be more than 1 or 2 people spotted wearing masks when I do the weekly shop.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would be very surprised if this is not included in the English regulations when they are updated before Saturday - though I hope I am wrong.

Yes, I'd expect it as well. Generally England and Scotland are doing similar things but at slightly different times.

 

[Richard Scott]

I really hope we escape this nonsense. The litter that this would generate would be awful. Plus it just looks silly and awful everyone going about in masks that aren't fitted properly.
And wearing a mask is horrible for the user too.
I'll be deploying my anxiety excuse if it comes in here.
I don't think there's widespread support for this, otherwise there would be more than 1 or 2 people spotted wearing masks when I do the weekly shop.

The litter is the key here, they've already found used masks in the oceans. So her contribution is even more waste plastic/fabrics. Great one there!

 

[HSTEd]

I guess I will not being going to shops any time soon if this is introduced in England.

 

[Scrotnig]

The litter is the key here, they've already found used masks in the oceans. So her contribution is even more waste plastic/fabrics. Great one there!

You’re forgetting, nobody cares about environmental pollution any more, because it’s not the DEADLY KILLER VIRUS.

 

[Bletchleyite]

You’re forgetting, nobody cares about environmental pollution any more, because it’s not the DEADLY KILLER VIRUS.

Otherwise worded as "we have had to temporarily pause environmental concerns about disposable items in order to prevent people dying".

 

[MikeWM]

I would be very surprised if this is not included in the English regulations when they are updated before Saturday - though I hope I am wrong.

I wouldn't expect so (and I hope I'm right). The Government won't want the optics of being 'forced' into it by the SNP.

Doesn't mean it won't happen eventually, of course.

 

[Richard Scott]

You’re forgetting, nobody cares about environmental pollution any more, because it’s not the DEADLY KILLER VIRUS.

That was stupid of me to forget that important point!!!!

 

[Non Multi]

Has social distancing been a problem in Scotland? Surely they could have kept the status quo for the wide aisled stores.

Oh well, it's good news for the politically fashionable chinstrap factories!

 

[HSTEd]

Otherwise worded as "we have had to temporarily pause environmental concerns about disposable items in order to prevent people dying".

I think you mean something like this:

"we have had to 'temporarily' pause environmental concerns about disposable items, for the forseable future, in order to make it look like we are doing something to stop people dying"

 

[adc82140]

Otherwise worded as "we have had to temporarily pause environmental concerns about disposable items in order to prevent people dying".

I really think that dying because of a polluted biosphere is just as important

 

[greyman42]

Otherwise worded as "we have had to temporarily pause environmental concerns about disposable items in order to prevent people dying".

The virus does not kill everyone, far from it, and people die for many other reasons.

 

[scotrail158713]

I really think that dying because of a polluted biosphere is just as important

I’d agree but unfortunately no governments seem to hold the same viewpoint - as @Scrotnig put it, “it’s not the deadly killer virus so it doesn’t matter” seems to be the general view.

 

[DB]

I'm really hoping this is just Nicola Sturgeon trying to one up Boris. I really can't see any justification for this measure, if infection levels start to rise then maybe it's something that could be thought about as an absolute last resort.

Given that the evidence for it making any actual difference is weak at best, it would be pretty hopeless as a last resort!

As others have said, this is just tokenism and Sturgeon trying to show that she's got more of a handle on the situation than Boris.

 

[Scotrail12]

Tokenism, virtue signalling, just trying to look better than ole Boris. If so important, why not made mandatory earlier? I went shopping for some things on Monday and people were distancing fine.

I also don't really see how this law will be enforced, I can't imagine shop workers wanting to start confrontation and they don't even have much powers. I also question if the public will follow through for long (if at all) and how long this rule will be a thing.

I do see the argument for them on a crowded train where many people are very close to each other. Otherwise, not so much.

I don't like shopping that much anyway so I'll probably stay away from "non-essential" shops as much as possible for now.

 

[DB]

Tokenism, virtue signalling, just trying to look better than ole Boris. If so important, why not made mandatory earlier? I went shopping for some things on Monday and people were distancing fine.

It wasn't made mandatory before because it was known that the evidence for any benefit was weak.

But now the politicians are all fighting to show that they can out-do each other in playing to the crowd, and this is an easy one to go for.

 

[Ianigsy]

A shoplifters' charter and one which stands to choke off discretionary spending just as it gets going.

 

[Mag_seven]

Can we please stick to the topic at hand - "face coverings becoming mandatory in Scotland's shops". I've just had to delete some off topic posts. Thanks.

 

[NorthOxonian]

What concerns me is the lack of an "exit plan" for rules like this. The levels of infection and death in Scotland are really tiny, so it isn't as if they can say "when cases get below a certain level, we won't require masks".

Unless Nicola Sturgeon seriously expects everyone in Scotland to wear a mask in all shops until a vaccine is found - that seems like wishful thinking (and in all likelihood would see her lose re-election in 2021).

 

[MattA7]

I wonder if this applies to staff or only customers I imagine wearing a mask from 9 till 5 or through a whole shift would be very uncomfortable.

 

[snookertam]

I knew if I came into this forum I’d find people absolutely raging about this. I think they didn’t make it mandatory before as they were relying on guidance and hoping the population would play their part by complying. Sadly that doesn’t seem to be happening so they’ve made it mandatory.

If they’d made it mandatory from the start, we’d have had the complaint if heavy handedness.

As for the ‘trying to get one up in Boris’ malarky, do you really think the Scottish government would have to resort to anything like this to look better than the UK government? It’s really not much of a challenge given the way they’ve responded to this.