We’re ten days into the legal requisite to wear a face covering on public transport, and it seems those without them are now standing out. But some have good reasons. Transport for London have introduced a badge, much like the type provided for pregnancies, to avoid those affected facing intrusive health questions.
Look out for TfL’s badge for face covering exemptions, next time a rider boards without wearing one in London. You can read the full list of exemptions below 👇
By UK government law, those already legally exempt from the face-covering rule are:
- Children under age 11
- Employees of, or persons providing agreed services to, TfL
- Police constables (including British Transport Police) officers acting in the course of their duty
- Members or employees of the emergency services responding to an emergency
London exemptions have been updated to include the following situations:
- Where a person cannot put on, wear, or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment or disability (within the meaning of section 6 of the Equality Act 2010), or without severe distress
- Where a person is providing a lip-reading service to a person they are travelling with
- Where a person removes their face covering to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to themselves or others
- Where a person is travelling to avoid injury, or to escape a risk of harm, and does not have a face covering with them
- If it is reasonably necessary for a person to eat and drink, and the person removes their face covering to eat or drink