Mayor calls for making masks compulsory on city transport
Sadiq Khan has called on the government to make wearing face masks on public transport in London compulsory during the coronavirus outbreak.
The mayor of London said “the evidence around the world is that this is effective” despite public health experts not currently recommending the use of the coverings.
It follows U-turns on guidance around the world, including in New York, where the use of face masks in public where physical distancing is not possible was made compulsory on Wednesday.
Similar schemes are being operated in a number of French cities, as well as in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The UK government guidance advises people to stay 2 metres apart from anyone outside of their household when in public, but does not mention the use of masks.
Khan said face masks should not be considered a substitute for physical distancing, but as a protective measure in instances where it was difficult to follow the guidelines – such as in shops or on public transport.
“What I’m lobbying for is for when it comes to those circumstances where it’s just not possible to keep your public distance, think of public transport, think of a shop, for people to wear a nonmedical facial covering,” he told Sky News.
Khan added that people should not buy surgical masks, but wear face coverings including bandanas, scarves or reusable masks.
His comments came as it was announced that bus travel in the capital will in effect be free from Monday, when passengers will all start boarding through the middle door.
They will not be required to “tap in” to pay, with most buses now only having Oyster or contactless card readers at the front beside the driver.
Transport for London said a trial of the scheme on 140 buses had demonstrated that the move could allow sufficient social distancing on buses, with numbers having dropped dramatically during the coronavirus lockdown.
Passenger journeys are down 85% on buses in the capital.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said medical masks should be prioritised for health workers rather than the general public, although they can be useful in preventing the spread of the virus for those who have Covid-19 symptoms.
The WHO special envoy Dr David Nabarro has suggested that the widespread use of masks will become “the norm” during the coronavirus outbreak.
Shaun Bailey, the Conservative mayoral candidate for London in next year’s election, criticised Khan over the comments, accusing him of not using his powers to protect Transport for London staff.
“The mayor knows as well as anyone that nothing is stopping him from providing PPE (personal protective equipment) to every London transport worker if he wanted to,” he said in a Twitter post.
“Stop picking fights with the government to score political points. You’re the mayor. It’s time to take responsibility and act.”
Bailey told the BBC that he had sourced 600,000 face masks and vinyl gloves, which could protect every London bus worker for 30 days.
A spokesperson for the mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said a similar scheme would not be considered for the region because it did not have a problem with busy transport services.
“I think up here people have done a very good job of keeping safe public distances. There’s not really a major need for (face masks),” Street said, adding that the priority was to ensure health workers had access to PPE.