Wearing Masks When Ill ‘Not Compulsory,’ UK Government Says

A woman wears a mask while walking on Oxford Street in London, on April 1, 2022. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The UK government has stressed that it is “not compulsory” to wear a mask while ill, though it has been “longstanding advice” from health authorities.

It comes after Professor Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), issued advice on Jan. 2 saying adults should “wear a face covering” if they have to leave the house while feeling unwell.