THE Government will no longer make the use of face coverings a legal requirement beyond July 19 as almost all restrictions are lifted.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night confirmed step four of the Government's roadmap out of lockdown would continue as planned later this month.

In his address, he said that mandatory use of face coverings would be scrapped instead replaced with guidance on where people might choose to wear one.

VOTE: Will you be wearing a face covering beyond July 19 (and tell us your reasons why)

But it has since emerged that businesses could be able to refuse to serve customers without face coverings, provided they are not exempt, beyond July 19.

The Government's roadmap has since been updated to say that once lockdown restrictions lift, use of face coverings could be advised in areas such as crowded places.

It says: "Face coverings will no longer be legally required in shops, schools, hospitality, or on public transport although guidance will be in place to suggest where people might choose to wear one, such as where you come into contact with people you don’t usually meet in enclosed and crowded places."

But today Professor Calum Semple, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said “there’s no reason” why businesses should not be able to refuse to serve customers without face masks after July 19.

He told Times Radio: “There’s no reason why businesses which have made their own assessments cannot say actually ‘If you come in here we still want you to wear a mask’.

“They can’t mandate it, but neither are businesses mandated to have to serve you, so if you run a nail bar and you want the clients to wear a face mask, you simply say ‘You have to wear a face mask if you want to get your nails done’.

“That’s a good example of some direct, personal, face-to-face contact for a good 40 minutes where you don’t want your staff breathing in what Joe Public is breathing on to you.

“There’s no reason why many businesses can’t actually just say ‘Hang on a minute, in this setting we want you to wear a face mask’.

“I don’t see why public transport companies couldn’t make the same assessment.”

This morning, the Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he would continue to wear a face covering in a crowded space or if he was with someone who felt uncomfortable about one not being worn, once restrictions are eased.

He told Sky News: “For the foreseeable future I will be carrying a face mask with me, I think that’s a very responsible thing for anyone to do.

“As I have said, the pandemic is not over.

“If I’m in a crowded or enclosed space, I will wear a face mask. In fact I will wear one if I was next to someone or near someone that felt uncomfortable with others not wearing face masks.

“And that’s what I mean by personality responsibility.”

VOTE: Will you be wearing a face covering beyond July 19 (and tell us your reasons why)

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