Face Masks to Be Compulsory in England, as Experts Warn of 120,000 Deaths in Winter

The United Kingdom’s government would make the wearing of face masks in shops and supermarkets mandatory, with those failing to comply with the new regulation facing fines up to 100 euro ($125).

The new measures that would be effective from July 24 come as a warning from the Academy of Medical Sciences. The new measure would prepare the United Kingdom for a potential new wave of coronavirus infections in the winter, which would be more severe than the first wave, with a reasonable worst-case scenario of 120,000 COVID-related hospital deaths between September 2020 and June 2021.

In a document, the expert warns that serious preparation is needed in the remaining summer months to prevent the spread of the virus, save lives, and reduce the health service being overwhelmed.

Moreover, experts have earlier warned that COVID-19 is more likely to spread in winter with people spending more time indoors, and the virus would survive longer in colder, darker winter conditions.

In a statement, it was suggested that there would be a rise in hospital admissions and deaths in January and February 2021, similar or worse than the first wave of the virus, which would coincide with peak demand on the UK’s health service.

Professor Stephen Holgate, a respiratory specialist from University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, chaired the report, said, “This is not a prediction, but it is a possibility.”

However, Venki Ramakrishnan, the head of Britain’s national academy of sciences, said the UK has been way behind many countries in wearing face masks.

Venki Ramakrishnan added that not wearing a mask should be referred to as an antisocial act as drink and driving and reasoned that there is a growing body of evidence that wearing a mask will help protect others, might even protect you and reduce the space the virus.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier that it is essential to wear a face-covering in a confined space.

Boris Johnson’s comments came after senior government minister, Michael Gove, said on Sunday that he does not believe the use of face masks should be enforced as a compulsory measure.

Moreover, the regulation measure has exempted children under 11 and people with disabilities.

Furthermore, the United Kingdom is one of the worst-hit countries by coronavirus, with almost 45,000 fatalities, putting it third behind Brazil and the United States.

In June, the World Health Organization called out all nations to encourage the public to wear fabric masks in areas where there continues to be an extreme spread of the virus, and for all health workers to wear medical masks throughout their shift while in clinical areas.

UK government guidance since May has advised the public to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces where they may come into contact with people they wouldn’t usually meet. Face masks have been mandatory on public transport in England since mid-June.