Two metre regulation could be relaxed if Britain gets accustomed to wearing face masks in public places

The mandatory face-coverings rule was extended on Friday as it emerged ministers could relax the two metre regulation if people get into the habit of wearing them in all public places.

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, announced that all hospital visitors will be required to wear face coverings and all hospital workers must wear medical-grade face masks at all times from June 15.

It came after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps made face coverings mandatory on all public transport from the same date.

On Friday, as the British Medical Association said face coverings should be compulsory anywhere social distancing is not possible and the World Health Organisation said they should be worn in shops, Whitehall sources did not rule out the possibility of telling the public to wear them in shops and other indoor spaces.

Ministers hope that by forcing people to wear masks on public transport they will voluntarily wear them elsewhere, removing the need for extra legislation.

One Whitehall source said: “If people start to see wearing a mask as the norm it makes it much easier to ask them to wear them in more places, and that would contribute towards being able to reduce the two-metre rule, though it might not be enough on its own.”

On Friday, a YouGov poll found 73 per cent of adults backed making masks compulsory in shops. In addition, 64 per cent want them to be mandatory in busy outdoor spaces such as high streets and town centres.

Government sources acknowledged face coverings might be necessary in shops by the autumn at the very least, because the public will not put up with queuing outside supermarkets for long periods in rain, snow or freezing temperatures. Instead they could be allowed indoors in greater numbers if they are wearing masks.

“There is definitely an appetite to reduce the two-metre rule,” said a Government source. “It’s something that will probably be necessary later in the year because making people queue outdoors just won’t work when the weather turns bad.”

Mr Hancock announced that all hospital workers will have to wear Type 1 or Type 2 surgical masks from June 15 at all times while on shift, and all hospital visitors and outpatients will have to wear face coverings, which can be home made.

It will not apply to care homes for now, because the restrictions on visiting care homes have not been lifted.

Rail unions have threatened to strike over the decision to use volunteers to help enforce the mandatory wearing of face coverings on public transport.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) claimed it had failed to be consulted over the plans and that safety critical roles should not be done by “unpaid, unskilled workers”.

Mick Cash, the union’s general secretary, also said staff working on trains and other forms of public transport would be forced to “police this policy”, leaving them at “risk of being abused, assaulted and spat at by aggressive passengers refusing to comply”.

Calling for a risk assessment to be conducted, Mr Cash said the union would now consider a strike ballot unless it received reassurances from ministers.

A senior Government source said volunteers and staff at train and Tube stations would distribute free face masks to passengers for the first few days after the changes are implemented.

They said Network Rail had a stockpile of 1.5 million face coverings, while train operators also had built up their own supplies.

However, they warned that the onus was on people to bring their own coverings, adding: “We don’t want people to think they will get a face covering every time they come to the station.

“It will be done like water distribution when it’s super hot. There will obviously be places around the station and people handing them out.

“There’s going to be signage all around the stations and outside reminding you, some vending machines are already in place selling them.”

There will also be an increased number of British Transport Police officers posted at stations during the initial stages, although the source said enforcement would not be “over zealous”.

The face coverings rule, which applies to buses, coaches, trains, trams, Tubes, ferries and aeroplanes but will not apply to taxis because that would require a change in the law due to them being regulated at a local authority level.