Coronavirus: Update on rules for wearing face coverings in England shops 'within days' | ITV News

An announcement on whether face coverings should be mandatory in shops in England is expected "in the next few days" following mixed messages on the issue from the government.

During a visit to the London Ambulance Service, the Prime Minister told reporters: "Yes, face coverings, I think people should be wearing in shops, and in terms of how we do that – whether we will be making that mandatory or not – we will be looking at the guidance, we will be saying a little bit more in the next few days."

Mr Johnson added: “We will be looking in the next few days about exactly how, with what tools of enforcement, we think we want to make progress (over coronavirus)."

“As the virus comes down in incidence and we have more and more success, I think face coverings are a kind of extra insurance we can all use to stop it coming back and stop it getting out of control again.

“To be absolutely clear I do think that face coverings do have a real value in confined spaces and I do think the public understand that.”

The government's position on the issue has appeared up in the air over the past few days, after Boris Johnson hinted that stricter rules could be brought in for the wearing of "face coverings in confined spaces".

Over the weekend, Michael Gove was forced to clarify Number 10's position suggesting the public should be "encouraged" to wear face coverings.