THE Scottish Government is advising the public to wear face coverings in shops and on public transport during the coronavirus pandemic.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the advice is not mandatory and is not a substitute for other social distancing rules.
Speaking at the daily briefing the SNP leader gave the examples of public transport and food shops as places where a face covering is good to wear to prevent the spread of the virus. These are spaces where it’s hard to stay two metres away from others, she said.
Sturgeon added this covering can be made from cloth like a scarf and does not advise people to seek out surgical or medical-grade masks, as these should be prioritised for frontline health workers.
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She said: "Wearing a face covering in these circumstances may reduce the risk of that person transmitting the virus onto others.
"So the Scottish Government is now recommending the use of face coverings in these limited circumstances as a precautionary measure.
"Given the evidence is relatively weak we're not at this stage making this mandatory or suggesting it will be enforced, though we will be keeping that under review as we go into future phases of managing and tackling the pandemic.
"It's worth bearing in mind there are some people, for example people with asthma, who might have very good reasons for choosing not to cover their mouth and nose when they're out, and we're not recommending the use of face coverings for children under the age of two.
"However, we are recommending you do wear a cloth face covering if you are in an enclosed space with others where social distancing is difficult - for example, on public transport, or in a shop."
Sturgeon stressed the measure is additional to current social distancing rules and said new government guidance will advise on how to wear face coverings safely.
She went on: "The guidance also includes information about how to safely apply or wash face coverings. When you are applying or removing face covering you should first wash your hands and avoid touching your face.
"After each time you wear the covering, you must wash it at 60 degrees centigrade or dispose of it safely. The detailed guidance is available on the Scottish Government's website and the guidance on the NHS Inform website will also be updated very soon.
"But the most important point is this one. The wearing of facial coverings is an extra precaution you can, and should, take."
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