Sainsbury's asks shoppers to CARRY ON wearing face masks

Sainsbury’s asks shoppers to CARRY ON wearing face masks but Morrisons drops covering rule as restrictions end TOMORROW

Plan B rules including mandatory face coverings are being axed on Thursday
But the supermarket giant urges staff and customers to continue wearing them
By contrast, rival Morrisons says its stance was to follow government guidance
Sadiq Khan also wants Londoners to still mask up on public transport in London

Plan B rules including mandatory masks are being scrapped in England from tomorrow – but supermarket giant Sainsbury’s is still asking staff and customers to continue wearing them.

From Thursday, the Government will no longer legally mandate the wearing of face coverings in shops and on public transport, while proof of vaccination or a recent negative test will also no longer be needed to enter nightclubs and large venues.

However, Sainsbury’s is still encouraging both shoppers and employees to mask up while in stores.

By contrast, Morrisons said it would continue to follow the latest government guidance, and therefore is not urging shoppers to put on a face covering in the same way.

Aldi, Lidl, Tesco and Asda are yet to confirm their plans for a mask policy in store.

It comes after Sadiq Khan has refused to drop them for commuters in the capital, by asking people to continue wearing face coverings on public transport.

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘Safety remains our highest priority. From Thursday, we’re asking our customers and colleagues in England to continue to wear a face covering in our stores if they are able to.

‘In Scotland and Wales face coverings remain mandatory for those who can wear them in our stores, in line with the latest Government restrictions.

‘We continue to have a range of safety measures in all of our stores, including screens and sanitising stations.’

Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s is still asking staff and customers to continue wearing masks

Shoppers wearing face coverings exit a Sainsbury’s store in Enfield earlier this year

By contrast, Morrisons said it would continue to follow the latest government guidance, and therefore is not urging shoppers to put on a face covering in the same way

ALREADY SCRAPPED

WORKING FROM HOME

The Prime Minister said the Government is no longer asking people to work from home. He called on people to speak to their employers about arrangements for returning to the office.

MASKS IN SCHOOLS

Since last week, secondary school pupils will not have to wear face coverings in classrooms. The requirement to wear masks in corridors and other communal areas will end next Thursday, January 27.

FROM TOMORROW

MASKS IN PUBLIC PLACES

From next Thursday, the Government will no longer legally mandate the wearing of face coverings in shops and on public transport. But they will continue to suggest masks should be worn in enclosed and crowded places where people could come into contact with those they do not normally meet. The Prime Minister said this meant the Government will ‘trust the judgment of the British people and no longer criminalise anyone who chooses not to wear one’.

COVID PASSPORTS

Proof of vaccination or a recent negative test will no longer be needed to enter nightclubs and large venues from next Thursday. But businesses will still be free to use the NHS Covid Pass if they want.

TRAVEL

An announcement was made this week on scrapping the requirement for fully vaccinated travellers to take a Covid test on returning to England.

BY THE END OF THE MONTH

CARE HOMES

Plans to ease restrictions on care home visits will be announced in the next few days. At present, care homes must impose severe restrictions on visitors for up to 28 days if there has been a Covid outbreak affecting two or more residents.

BY MARCH AT THE LATEST

SELF-ISOLATION

Boris Johnson said he ‘very much expects’ not to renew the legal requirement to self-isolate with Covid when the rules lapse on March 24. He said this could happen even earlier, if the data allows. The legal requirement will be replaced with guidance that urges people with the virus to be careful and considerate of others.

BY JULY

FREE TESTS

Free Covid lateral flow tests look set to be scrapped by July. People will be pointed towards an online ordering system to purchase the tests, which cost £30 for a pack of seven.

It comes after London Mayor Mr Khan last week insisted passengers on underground and bus services will still have to don masks.

It put him at odds with the Prime Minister, who announced a return to Plan A after claiming ‘our scientists believe it is likely that the Omicron wave has now peaked nationally’.

But Mr Khan said: ‘Covid-19 still poses a significant threat to all of us, our livelihoods and our loved ones.

‘Wearing a face covering is one of the single most important and easiest things we can all do to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and the Government should rethink their plans and keep legislation in place to make them mandatory on public transport as well as in shops and indoor public venues.

‘This ensures the rules are clear and consistent and crucially means enforcement action can continue to be carried out on our transport network. Compliance of the rules is far higher with legislation than without.

‘If we have learnt anything from this pandemic, it is that we must not get complacent and undo all our hard work and sacrifices. That’s why face coverings will remain a condition of carriage on TfL services.

‘I’m asking everyone in our capital to do the right thing and continue to wear a face covering when travelling on TfL services to keep us all protected and to prevent further restrictions from being necessary later down the line.’

Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon said this week that Scotland’s mask rules could remain in place for years to come if they help the fight against Covid today.

The First Minister said that face coverings were ‘not the biggest handicap’ that people were having to endure as the country attempts to recover from Covid.

A range of measures introduced on Boxing Day to deal with the Omicron variant were scrapped on Monday, but laws making masks mandatory in shops and other settings with remain.

Face masks are also still required in Wales, but First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced the harshest restrictions will be lifted over the next fortnight.

The Welsh Government will reopen nightclubs, end the rule of six in pubs and lift the 50-person limit on outdoor events.

Mr Drakeford used a press conference to set out his plan for Wales to move from alert level two to alert level zero by the end of January if the public health situation continues to improve.

The final stage of relaxing the rules will then take place on Friday when the remaining curbs on indoor activities will be lifted.

The rule of six, table service and 2m social distancing will no longer be required in hospitality, allowing large venues to reopen, though the Covid Pass will be required for entry to some.

Meanwhile, the legal requirement to work from home will be dropped.

Self-isolation rules for people who test positive for Covid and the wearing of face masks in most public indoor settings will remain in force after Friday with all measures then due to be reviewed every three weeks, starting from February 10.

Elsewhere, Covid restrictions in Northern Ireland imposed to combat the Omicron variant are being axed from midday today.

Ministers in Stormont agreed to a large-scale easing of curbs, including Covid passes for entry to bars, restaurants and cinemas.

Nightclubs, which were forced to close on Boxing Day, will also reopen later, along with the return of indoor standing events.

But passes will still be required for entry to access nightclubs and large events, while guidance on Covid certification in hospitality settings will be ‘strongly encouraged’.

Social distancing restrictions in offices are being removed, though the Stormont Executive has refused to scrap official WFH guidance, telling people to continue remote working where they can.

Ministers will meet again on February 10 to review the remaining curbs in the UK province – which include compulsory masks, track and trace in hospitality, and the use of Covid certification in nightclubs.

While it will no longer be against the rules, bosses at Sainsbury’s have asked staff and customers to continue wearing masks

A spokesperson for the supermarket giant told MailOnline: ‘Safety remains our highest priority’

In contrast, the Prime Minister has unveiled a bonfire of almost all restrictions in England over the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson said he ‘very much expects’ not to renew the legal requirement to self-isolate with Covid when the rules lapse on March 24. He said this could happen even earlier, if the data allows.

The legal requirement will be replaced with guidance that urges people with the virus to be careful and considerate of others.

Furthermore, free Covid lateral flow tests look set to be scrapped by July. People will instead be pointed towards an online ordering system to purchase the tests, which cost £30 for a pack of seven.

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