Yesterday Scotland’s First Minister issued advice on the Scottish Government’s website calling for members of the public to wear face coverings. This morning George Eustice told Dan Walker that Public Health England remains sceptical regarding the value of face masks. The Conservative MP stated that face coverings have a limited impact in preventing the coronavirus from spreading.
Mr Walker said: “What is the Government advice on covering faces?
“I think this is something where there has been a lack of clarity.”
The Environment Secretary replied: “I think there has been clarity actually.
“Public Health England are quite sceptical about the value of face masks.
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“The Chief Scientific Advisor has made this clear that it has a limited impact in preventing the disease being spread onwards but it doesn’t give protection to the wearer of the mask.”
Yesterday Ms Sturgeon said during her daily coronavirus press conference: “I want to address face covering, an issue that has attracted lots of attention lately.
“Guidance on this issue has just been published on the Scottish Government’s website.
“I want to stress a very important point and ask you to bear this in mind.
Ms Strugeon went on to warn her Government at Holyrood may go on to take a tougher stance on enforcing the guidance as the UK enters the next phase of its lockdown exit strategy.
She said: “We are not making it mandatory right now.
“But as we go into the stages of lifting some of the restrictions a bit more than they are now we will review that and it may be that at future stages we take a tougher stance.
“But it is important we don’t get too far ahead of where we are right now or too far ahead of the evidence.
“I do not want people putting so much store and emphasis on facial coverings.”