Bristol face masks petition receives 180,000 signatures

Mr Cordey said he wants mask wearing to remain in place to keep himself and his loved ones safe

A man who set up a petition signed by 180,000 people to continue making face coverings mandatory in shops said he was "terrified" of restrictions ending.

Martyn Cordey, 58, from Bristol, has multiple health conditions.

He said he wants masks to remain compulsory until there is a substantial decline in Covid cases and more people have been double vaccinated.

The prime minister has announced the date of 19 July for the lifting of most Covid-19 restrictions.

Only the legal requirement to self-isolate if you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace will remain in place until 16 August.

When the first lockdown was imposed in March 2020 Mr Cordey said he "didn't go out much" and "relied heavily on the kindness of neighbours".

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Although he is fully vaccinated he said every time he leaves the house he is at risk of catching and spreading the virus and wants to maintain "a safe environment" for people who need to shop for essentials.

Mr Cordey said the number of people who had signed the petition demonstrated how many others were feeling worried about the lifting of restrictions

"There are thousands and thousands of other people feeling the same as me," he said.

"They will feel more vulnerable again, it's like going backwards."

"In a supermarket or shop there are always people that can come right up to you, to reach for something from a shelf, standing behind or in front of you in a queue, so you can't get away from that."

"Wearing a face mask inside is a small price to pay to get the virus further under control," he added.

The petition comes amid a call for face coverings to remain mandatory on public transport and doctors calling for the continued use of face masks and new ventilation standards.

The government said delaying the final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown, originally scheduled for 21 June, had allowed an additional 6.8 million first and second vaccine doses to be given out so far.

It said moving the date closer to the school summer holidays meant transmission was also likely to be lower.