Workers will NOT have to wear masks in offices, Matt Hancock says ahead of Boris’ back-to-work blueprint

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MATT Hancock has ruled out masks in offices ahead of Boris unveiling Britain’s back to work blueprint.

The Health Secretary today insisted Brits will not be forced to use face coverings but insisted they did make a difference.

Boris Johnson will unveil his blueprint for getting workers back in the office within days

Appearing on Sky News, Mr Hancock was asked about masks in offices after Blackburn recommended them following a spike in cases.

He said: “We will not be recommending masks in the office but I respect what Blackburn has done.

“Blackburn has taken action locally because their rates of positive cases have gone up.

“The council in Blackburn are doing a fantastic job”.

Face masks will be mandatory in all shops from July 24 – people who ignore the rules will be handed £100 fines, Matt Hancock confirmed yesterday.

People could also be banned from entering shops if they do not have a mask.

Mr Hancock hailed the move as a “good step forward”.

He said:  “It’s all part of the overall programme to keep transmission of the virus down.

“There are more asymptomatic transmissions than anyone thought of.

“On masks it’s a balanced decision, but there is benefit to having a mask, especially a benefit to other people.”

Matt Hancock ruled out masks in offices

He also explained Brits will need to wear a face mask in coffee shops such as Pret, explaining if there was no table service then it was a shop.

His comments come just one day on from the Environment Secretary refusing to rule out making masks mandatory in offices.

George Eustice told BBC Radio 4: “At the moment we take one step at a time and we’ve taken the view in this next step that we should make it mandatory in retail environments.

“When it comes to workplace environments, because people are in the same company throughout the day, there are not lots of people coming through the venue as you have in a retail environment.”

The PM fears strict social distancing rules will leave millions of workers at the UK's biggest firms at home for the foreseeable future

The PM fears strict social distancing rules will leave millions of workers at the UK’s biggest firms at home for the foreseeable future

Boris will unveil his blueprint for getting workers back in the office within days amid fears the Government’s work from home policy is crippling the economy. 

The PM has told Cabinet ministers to order civil servants in their departments to start returning to the office. 

He told Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting that tens of thousands of Whitehall civil servants should “set an example” by coming back to the office after four months working from home. 

A government source said: “He was encouraging Secretaries of State to show a lead and encourage their officials back to work.” 

The PM fears strict social distancing rules will leave millions of workers at the UK’s biggest firms at home for the foreseeable future as companies take advantage of cutting office costs and staff are too afraid to return.