A Suffolk councillor who said on Twitter that she would never wear a face mask has now changed her mind after Boris Johnson suggested that legislation is now being drawn up to make them compulsory in shops.
Conservative Kay Oakes, who represents Needham Market on Suffolk County Council, last month agreed with a former UKIP member of the London Assembly who listed wearing a face mask as something he would never do. The Tweet has now been taken down.
However, after the Prime Minister said on Monday that he is preparing for an announcement later this week, she said it was now clear they should be worn – and she had already worn a face covering when she went to the hairdresser last week.
Wearing face masks has been a political issue during the pandemic – at the start of the outbreak there were doubts about whether they offered protection, but now most experts agree that they prevent the transmission of the virus from someone who may be an unknowing carrier of Covid-19 even if they offer very limited protection to the wearer.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here