Wearing a face covering is now mandatory in hospitals and on public transport in England .
(See here for update on wearing face covering in shops, mandatory from 24th July)
Because of confusion about what this means and about exemptions to these rules Sheffield Autistic Society are providing a number of links.
The government’s guidance, such as it is, is contained in the document “Staying safe outside your home”
which was updated on 5 June 2020. See section 10 for specific guidance on face coverings
WHICH have produced a useful article on this topic: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/06/coronavirus-should-we-be-wearing-face-masks/ – Which?
The organisation Keep Safe has produced easy-read guidance and materials based on the latest update to the rules on face covering (15th June).
This includes detailed advice on exemptions, posters and various exemption cards that you can download and print. There are exemption cards for autistic people and cards for people with learning disabilities.
In South Yorkshire, Travel South Yorkshire’s Journey Assistance Cards help passengers with hidden disabilities or older passengers discreetly get help from the driver or conductor so they can travel on public transport with confidence. They also aim to help drivers and conductors be aware of any assistance or information requirements you may have. The series of cards now includes a card stating ‘I am exempt from wearing a face covering’ .You can download the cards here.