Face coverings can help stop coronavirus and other viruses, like colds and the flu, from spreading.
Coronavirus is a type of virus which can make people very unwell.
Will wearing a face covering stop me getting coronavirus?
No, face coverings help stop you from spreading the virus. They do not stop you from catching it.
Other people wear a face covering to keep you safer.
You wear a face covering to keep the people around you safer.
Everything you need to know about face coverings
To find out more about face coverings; when to wear them, how to wear them and why we wear them, read our
Easy Read
Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing.
guide.
Do I have to wear a face covering?
Although it is no longer UK
law
Laws are the rules that everyone in the country has to follow. If you don't follow the rules you can get in trouble with the police.
to wear a face covering, it is still strongly recommended by
the government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much tax people should pay and how things like the National Health Service (NHS) should work.
in public places.
Some people have a disability which means they cannot wear one, or they do not use one because it causes them severe distress and that is OK.
Exemption cards
If you do not want to wear a face covering in public, there are cards (sometimes called "exemption cards") which you can take with you when you go out to help explain if someone asks you why you don't wear one.
These cards can also be used to ask someone else to remove their face mask or covering, so you can understand them better.
Card for mobile or tablet