'Hopefully he is not too little too late' - South Tyneside reacts on eve of new Covid restrictions starting in England
New measures against the spread of the Omicron Covid variant will come into action in on Tuesday, November 30.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed in a series of announcements over the weekend that face coverings will become mandatory once more on public transport, in shops and other settings including banks, post offices and hairdressers.
International arrivals will also have to isolate until they receive a negative PCR test result, with the test to be taken before the end of their second day in the UK.
Meanwhile, staff, visitors and pupils in Year 7 and above have been told to wear masks in communal areas in schools, colleges and universities from Monday, November 29.
The other measures come into effect on Tuesday.
Gazette readers took to our Facebook page to share their views on the changes:
Anne Hetherington: “Whatever needs to be done to protect us and make sure we can all have Christmas with family.”
Joan Rush: “I wonder if all those people who think it's funny would laugh if they or their loved ones caught it?”
Paul Smith: “Is he for real here? Only wear a mask in certain places. Either make it mandatory for everything and everywhere or don't.”
Linda Mandeville: “I still wear a mask indoors, take no risks.”
Kieron Newfb: “Thought these vaccines can bring us to normal life like the flu vaccines have?”
Joyce Collins: “Should stop people coming in by the airports, as more chances of it spreading. Hopefully he is not too little too late.”
Abigail Hope Smithwhite: “Back to face masks, fine by me as long as everything else is fine.”