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Making masks compulsory in shops sounds ridiculous when I can spend hours in a pub without one

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Saturday 11 July 2020 17:40 BST
Comments
Boris Johnson says he is looking at stricter rules on face coverings in shops

I am disappointed to hear Boris Johnson hinting about making masks compulsory in shops.

This would seem like a strange measure to bring in three months into lockdown based on what seems to be theoretical risk, with no apparent real-world evidence to suggest that virus transmission happens in shops, even though people have been shopping throughout lockdown.

I am more than happy to wear a mask on public transport, in healthcare settings, or in other situations where there is prolonged close contact with others (even though steaming up is a constant problem for people like me who wear glasses), but to be denied the choice to exercise judgment in other circumstances feels like a real attack on personal liberty.

At this stage, now that much more is known about the virus and the circumstances in which it spreads, steps like this need to be properly justified and backed up with real-world scientific evidence about the risk of transmission in a setting, not generalised laboratory experiments.

Personal interactions in shops are fleeting, counter staff are well protected by screens, and it would be utterly ridiculous to have to wear a mask to pop to the corner shop for five minutes, but be able to spend 90 minutes or more in a pub or restaurant without one.

I doubt this policy would make economic sense either, as even if it tempted some back to the shops, I think it would put off many more. There would also be implications for the reopening of schools. I really hope the government thinks again on this.

Penny Norsworthy
Greater London

Masks will kill shopping

Making masks compulsory in shops will be the quickest way to further destroy the high street and weaken community cohesion as more people will shop online as levels of fear increase. So, one can eat in a restaurant without a mask but not shop. It will build resentment in society. We need to find ways to use common sense, and Boris needs some new advisers.

Jonathan Longstaff
Buxted, East Sussex

Remembering Srebrenica

We mark today the 25th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre against Muslims in Bosnia. It is still incomprehensible to imagine how such grave atrocities could have occurred in Europe under the watchful eyes of the United Nations. The international community also failed to stop ethnic cleansing and civil wars in Rwanda, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Kashmir, Palestine and Libya. Many people lost their lives, women and children traumatised and raped, and civilian infrastructures irreversibly demolished. Time to reform the UN to achieve international peace and security.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob
London

Diagram please

I don’t know how many times I read Adam Forrest’s piece on England’s R rate edging up to understand whether an increasingly negative growth rate is good or bad news. When I read “The latest figures show the Midlands is the only English region where the R number sits below one, while in all other areas it is somewhere between 0.7 or 0.8 and one”, I could hear the words of my old science teacher, “Diagram please”.

Nigel Fox
Leamington Spa

Scrap migration law now

I just thought I’d email to support the letter “Repeal the minimum income rule for non-EU spouses so international families can stay together”. I have many migrant friends that are truly wonderful people, have enriched my life, and have made our town a better place to be. Politicians need to show compassion for other humans. This law proves all they care about is money – not people and not facts. If there isn’t actually any proven benefit to this law it should be scrapped.

Helen Gillingham
Wellington, Somerset

Relationship problems

Since Donald Trump became president, I started to question the benefit of our special relationship with America, which historically has tended to benefit the US rather than the UK. Doubts must be creeping in with senior members of the royal family.

First, Wallace Simpson stole the heart of Edward VIII, leading to his inevitable abdication. More recently, another American has caused ructions dragging Prince Harry to Los Angeles. Finally, Prince Andrew’s affiliation with Jeffrey Epstein will continue to be a source of further embarrassment.

Could this year prove to be a “conscious uncoupling” with our American friends and yet another annus horribilis?

Christopher Learmont-Hughes
Caldy, Wirral

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