EXPERTS GIVE THEIR VERDICTS ON FACE COVERINGS

SUSAN MICHIE Behavioural scientist

IT has now become increasingly clear that face coverings can play an important role in reducing transmission in indoor public places.

Scientific evidence of their benefit continues to emerge and Government policy should change to reflect this.

Despite the progress we have made, transmission of coronavirus remains relatively high in England with hundreds of new cases every day.

Most members of Independent Sage believe that mandating the use of masks on public transport is not enough.

They should also be made mandatory in enclosed public indoor spaces.

PAUL HUNTER

Professor of medicine

THE scientific evidence on the value of face masks or face coverings in preventing the spread of Covid-19 is mixed and there is still no consensus.

Laboratory studies have clearly shown that if an infected person wears a mask then the amount of virus they shed is reduced. However, studies of their effectiveness in the real world are mixed.

My take on the evidence is that masks can reduce the spread of Covid-19 but they probably do not do much in many situations in the real world.

So whether to get people to wear face coverings in shops is as much a political as a scientific decision.

VENKI RAMAKRISHNAN President of the Royal Society

AS we come out of lockdown we must do everything we can to keep Covid-19 at bay.

There are no silver bullets, but we can help reduce the risks of spreading the disease.

Now, as a nation, we need to add wearing face coverings when we are in busy public spaces – particularly indoors, where we cannot be sure of being able to keep our distance.

Evidence for the benefits of wearing a face covering is growing all the time and the Government now needs to give a consistent message to the public that it is the right thing to do.

They should be mandatory in shops.