People urged to continue wearing masks in Harborough’s biggest superstore

People are being urged to continue to wear a mask in Market Harborough’s biggest superstore despite Covid restrictions being eased from tomorrow (Thursday).

Both customers and staff will be asked to carry on using face coverings in Sainsbury’s on St Mary’s Place in Market Harborough town centre in a bid to beat the Omicron virus.

There will no longer be a legal requirement to wear a mask in shops in England as the Government’s Plan B measures are lifted tomorrow.

But a Sainsbury’s spokeswoman told the Harborough Mail this afternoon: “Safety remains our highest priority.

“From Thursday we are asking our customers and colleagues in England to continue to wear a face covering in our stores if they are able to.

“In Scotland and Wales face coverings remain mandatory for those who can wear them in our stores, in line with the latest Government restrictions.

“We continue to have a range of safety measures in all of our stores, including screens and sanitising stations,” she said.

The call from Sainsbury’s comes days after Mike Sandys, Leicestershire’s Director of Public Health, implored people in Harborough to go on wearing a face covering when shopping.

“I know that wearing a mask will soon no longer be mandatory in shops and other indoor spaces in England.

“But just because it won’t be legally compulsory doesn’t mean to say that you don’t have to wear one,” Mike told the Mail last week.

“I’ll still be putting on my face covering when I nip out to my local shop for the time being that’s for sure.”

Mike spoke as he revealed that the rate of Covid cases in Harborough plunged from a record high of 2,025 per 100,000 people earlier this month to 938.9 in the week leading up to Saturday January 15.