Covid cases fall but no relaxation of local lockdown

Good evening,

Where do you stand on the great face mask debate?

At the start of the pandemic, the advice was that wearing a face covering was not deemed necessary and so we all did our weekly shop without one.

Now we are all told we must wear masks in enclosed places, like shops and cinemas and in areas where local restrictions are in force, including Preston, pupils will be asked to wear them in school when they are transferring from one room to another.

Of course, advice can change as we get more information about a virus - and clearly that is part of what is going on here. But the reasons for NOT wearing a mask still stand - that it can make people complacent about social distancing, they are not changed frequently enough and touching a mask with your hands can actually spread the virus in extreme cases.

If wearing a mask really can stop the spread of Covid-19, then we should all comply. But we still need to be vigilant about hand-washing and social distancing as face coverings cannot protect us on their own.