As far as I am concerned I am exempt. I will not be wearing a flimsy mask.Johnson says rules on face coverings will be tightened up in shops and public transport.
The rules will be reviewed in three weeks.
If anyone distrusts vaccines, they can choose to wear an FFP3 mask which is almost 100% effective if they want to (or an FFP2 which is not far off) but the idea that anyone should be told to wear a flimsy mask is completely absurd. Anyone can self-certify an exemption and there are a huge range of reasons why people can be exempt and it is up to each individual to judge that for themselves. All anyone has to say is "I am exempt" and that is the end of the matter. If anyone would find being asked distressing, then it may be a good idea to wear a sunflower lanyard. Either way, no-one can be compelled to wear a mask against their will.
This is irresponsible nonsense; the vaccines offer excellent protection against all variants and there is no evidence any variant can render vaccines ineffective"We don't know how effective our vaccines will be" against the new variant, Johnson says.
"But we have good reasons to believe they will provide at least some measure of protection."