Now it’s illegal to SWEAT! Officious ‘Covid marshal’ hits jogger with £120 fixed-penalty notice after he perspired too much while stopped at traffic light
- Mark Meghezzi, 30, said he had been fined as he rested during his exercise
- He showed off the penalty notice from the London Borough of Hounslow
- Mr Meghezzi was only blowing sweat from his face but officer thought he spat
- The fine was issued under Section 87 of the Environment Protection Act
A runner has been fined £120 by a ‘Covid Officer’ for sweating during his jog.
Mark Meghezzi, 30, said he had been targeted by one of the London Borough of Hounslow workers on Tuesday.
The university management graduate, originally from Aberdeen, said he had been resting in Chiswick after a vigorous dash when he was spotted.
Mr Meghezzi had been sweating heavily and blew from his mouth to get the perspiration off his face.
But he said the ‘covid officer’ said he thought he had been spitting and issued him with a fine.
The alleged wrongdoing – which is denied by Mr Meghezzi – falls under Environmental Protection Act regulations, now considered more important during Coronavirus times.
He wrote online: ‘Is this really what it has come to?
‘Sadiq Khan I can’t imagine this is how you intended these resources to be deployed.
Runner Mark Meghezzi was still sweating when he posted the picture of the fine online
‘I received a fine from Sadiq Khan‘s London Borough of Hounslow for doing nothing more than going for a run down Chiswick High Road.
‘I paused at Turnham Green Terrace and went down on my haunches (it was a tough one) and waited for the traffic lights to turn green.
‘As I did so, naturally the sweat poured off me and I blew some away from my lip, towards the road. This is natural and unavoidable when running
City inspectors in Westminster have been looking for coronavirus rules breaches
‘I was then accosted by a very excited young “Covid Officer” who advised me that I had been “observed spitting” and who then very eagerly issued me with the £120 FPN in the picture.
‘I stood back (mostly in shock) after receiving the FPN from this “officer”.
‘I observed him repeat his truck twice more with passing joggers and cyclists, stopped at the lights.
‘Needless to say this FPN will not be being paid and a complaint has been raised against the individual for their conduct in issuing it.’
MailOnline has contacted the London Borough of Hounslow for comment.
Spreading coronavirus via spit is thought to be possible because it could contain matter from the nose or lungs.
Running websites advise joggers try to be careful not to do it when they are out exercising.
But sweat is safe, as consultant virologist Chris Smith told LBC in March.
He said: “The site in which the virus grows is the respiratory tract so that means the nose and throat to a lower extent and the lungs to a greater extent. That’s why coughs and sneezes in this context spreads diseases.
“As sweat is made in sweat glands and sweat glands make the sweat by filtering the liquid bit, the watery bit, away from blood, they’re not in direct contact with the source of the virus – because this virus does not to an appreciable level go round in the blood stream.”
“Therefore there should be only limited amounts of the virus in sweat for that is not a means of transmission.’