Footage shows people in a large city all wearing face masks as a compulsory measure - The cost of face masks expected to rise after the use is such a large scale by millions of people every day since is now mandatory across much of Europe, including the UK, to wear a face mask in most indoor public settings, like shops, public transport and in some countries even outdoors. New rules oblige everybody to cover their face while outside if they are likely to come into contact with somebody from another household. Scientists believe that face masks do have a noticeable effect on reducing transmission – although some of the evidence is shaky and complex. A meta-analysis published in July by Oxford University’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science found that “cloth face coverings are effective in reducing source virus transmission” – and they protect the wearer, not just those around them, contrary to popular belief. A study published in the journal Health Affairs, meanwhile, examined the growth of Covid before and after masks were made compulsory in 15 US states, and found that those states in which masks were mandatory did indeed see a slower rate of virus growth, which soon translated into fewer hospital admissions. That is why government health agencies in virtually every developed country, including Public Health England in the UK and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, have recommended their use.