LONDON 20 Sep (ANA) - Police officers will patrol a number of supermarkets and an IKEA in Greater Manchester to ‘shame’ shoppers into wearing face coverings. Community support officers are being deployed to help crackdown on people flouting coronavirus rules. Superintendent Jane Higham told the Manchester Evening News they will be sent to ‘large retail premises’ in Tameside ‘including the supermarkets and IKEA’. It is one of the worst affected areas in the UK after seeing a surge in cases and is one of many towns in the region under local lockdown. Supt Higham said: ‘I think it’s a really tricky one this with the face coverings because it’s a guidance rather than actually a piece of legislation. That’s why we’re getting our officers to go in there to actively encourage that and shame people almost into compliance around that.’

Face coverings became mandatory in shops and supermarkets from July 24 and were made compulsory in other indoor settings two weeks later on August 8. People flouting the guidelines face fines of up to £100. There are some exceptions including for health, age and equality reasons, while some transport staff may not wear a covering if it is not required as part of their job. Supt Higham said officers will be on hand to ‘engage and explain’ the need for people to be wearing masks. In instances where some refuse or become ‘extremely difficult’, she added that they will move to ‘an enforcement angle’.(ANA)

FA/ANA/20 September 2020-------