Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

The best way to stay safe from Covid in England? Don't ditch the mask

The best way to stay safe from Covid in England? Don't ditch the mask

Boris Johnson’s easing of restrictions is in stark contrast to what other countries are doing to control Omicron
On Wednesday, Boris Johnson’s government announced that plan B measures for England, which were put in place in December, will be scrapped. This includes mandates on face coverings, which will no longer be compulsory in indoor public spaces from 27 January or for secondary school classrooms from 20 January. The Department for Education is likely to remove guidance on their use in school communal areas in the coming days.

This is in stark contrast to what other countries are doing in the midst of the Omicron pandemic – and let’s not forget, this is still a pandemic. With daily Covid-19 case numbers in the UK still above 100,000, and a daily average of more than 250 deaths within 28 days of a positive test, our situation is among the worst in the world. Though our case numbers are indeed falling, this may well be partly due to the measures imposed in plan B, such as wearing face masks and working from home. There is a risk that the removal of these measures could reverse this trend.

Scotland is mitigating against this risk by maintaining the face mask mandate when it removes most restrictions from Monday. The US, meanwhile, is an example of a country enacting more stringent measures in order to bring the pandemic under control. Next week, the Biden administration will make 400m N95 (FFP2) masks available for free in the largest deployment of PPE in US history.

We know that, when they fit well, these high-efficiency masks do an excellent job of protecting wearers and preventing the spread of infection. In fact, on 17 January, the UK Health Security Agency changed its guidance for healthcare workers so that FFP3 respirators (EU-certified masks) must be worn by staff when “caring for patients with a suspected or confirmed infection spread by the airborne route”. This is long overdue.

And yet when it comes the public, the government seems much happier to throw caution to the wind. For people in England, the use of face coverings – of any sort – is no longer required. This does not mean that the risk of transmitting Covid-19 or being infected by it has reduced. Omicron continues to be the most infectious variant of Covid-19.

While the mask mandate may have gone, and some people will joyously doff their masks, many will remain rightly concerned about Covid-19, the potential for getting long Covid and the effect that the lack of restrictions will have on the lives of vulnerable people. People will also be keen to avoid time off work isolating with Covid and recovering from the illness.

So how can you protect yourself when most people stop wearing masks? The best way is to wear a mask that is designed to protect the wearer: an FFP2 or FFP3 mask. These are available in pharmacies, supermarkets and online, but you may need to try a few to find one that fits the shape of your face. If you want to avoid exposing others to your exhaled breath, make sure you choose a valveless mask.

Although “disposable”, these masks can be reused until they break or become visibly unhygienic. I recommend using several in rotation, to allow them to “decontaminate” between uses. Masks with head straps will fit better and may last longer. Metal nose clips (as opposed to plastic ones) usually mould better to your nose, providing a closer fit – but unfortunately it can be hard to know before buying them which type of clip is used. While many industry-certified masks come as a standard size, smaller-sized masks are increasingly available.

Nondisposable masks (sometimes called elastomeric respirators, if they are made from rubber) are also available. While these may resemble gas masks, with external cartridges that hold the filters, manufacturers are now designing these for public use, with simple, replaceable FFP2 or FFP3 filters that slot into the plastic frame and look no more threatening than disposable high-efficiency masks.
Advertisement

The government says that it’s now up to us to assess our own risk and how we will mitigate it (although people are still advised to continue to wear face coverings in enclosed or crowded spaces and when meeting strangers). While we may not have choices about going to work or school, or how we get there, if we choose to, we can continue to use face masks to protect ourselves effectively. And don’t forget, anyone can have Covid … not just strangers.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×