Continue to make face masks mandatory in all healthcare settings from 19th July.

Continuing the legal requirement for all to wear face coverings in healthcare settings will help protect those most vulnerable of patients who often have no option to attend and would have the worst outcomes from Covid should they catch it. It will also help reduce otherwise avoidable sickness absence of medical staff at a time when maximum capacity is essential both for the post pandemic catch-up and the planned Covid booster roll-out, at a very minimal inconvenience to most.