UK Set To Let All Shops Reopen After Three Months Of COVID-19 Quarantine On Monday

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th June, 2020) Non-food stores in the United Kingdom are due to resume operations on Monday after almost three months of coronavirus-impelled closure along with a set of other measures marking the country's return to pre-pandemic life in line with Prime Minister Boris Johnson's order in the end of May.

All stores are expected to ensure social distancing of 2 meters (6 feet) by means of applying special floor marking and controlling the number of customers, as well as to provide staff and customers with personal protective tools and use cashless payments where possible.

Another measure to take effect on Monday is the mandatory wearing of masks in public transport, whereas it should not necessarily be medical masks but rather a fabric cover on mouth and nose, as announced by State Secretary for Transport Grant Shapps earlier this months.

Shapps has also urged people to work from home and avoid public transport whenever possible.

The UK mandating citizens to wear masks in public, one of the last countries to do so, occurs despite the UK government's earlier statements on that masks are of no proven effect in protecting one from contracting the coronavirus.

Also on Monday, secondary school students who are due to take exams this year will have the opportunity to meet with teachers, according to Johnson. UK schools has been closed since March 20. Primary schools reopened in June, but the majority of school students are not expected to return to classes until September.

Health authorities in the UK have so far reported 295,889 COVID-19 cases, including over 41,000 fatalities.