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.

An elderly couple sitting on a wall. Both are wearing face masks and yellow rain coats
Blank space

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 guide.

Face coverings Easy Read guide

Do I have to wear a face covering?

Although it is no longer UK law to wear a face covering, it is still strongly recommended by the government 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 printing

Card for mobile or tablet

 

Examples of the mobile and tablet exemption cards

For further advice or information