Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the safety of using (a) face coverings with clear panels and (b) transparent face shields to assist people who utilise lipreading for communication in settings where personal protective equipment is not required; and how that assessment will be communicated to the public.

The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies considered the very limited evidence available on the use of face coverings and advised that there was some positive benefit for reducing the transmission of COVID-19. The Government has not made an assessment of transparent face coverings.

The Government is now advising wearing a face covering in situations where it is difficult to manage social distancing and there may be close contact with people the wearer would not usually meet.

Further guidance on the use of face coverings is available to view at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-safe-outside-your-home/staying-safe-outside-your-home#face-coverings

Instructions on how to make and use a face covering are also available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering