Community Pharmacy Scotland issues guidance on wearing face coverings

Following the Scottish government’s announcement that face coverings will be mandatory in enclosed indoor spaces, including pharmacies, from July 10, Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) has issued guidance for pharmacy teams.

The supplementary information published on Tuesday (July 7) for pharmacy teams says:

• Enforcement: this will be carried out by the police, with no expectation that pharmacy team members carry out this duty. No tasers.
• There are some exceptions to the law for those who cannot wear a face covering due to existing health conditions – but it is not a definitive list e.g. everyone with COPD. Each individual will make their own assessment of whether they can reasonably wear a mask, and again any challenge to these decisions is for the police to make.
• You may, however, wish to remind people of the law change – whether to further reduce the risk to your team and other patients or to help individuals avoid fines

However, if workers are physically separated by a screen from customers, then the team members do not have to wear a face covering.

The CPS has also released a poster to covey the importance of wearing face in community pharmacies and and other retail settings.

Speaking in a Covid-19 press briefing last week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it would be mandatory for the people to wear a face covering in shops as part of the Phase Three coronavirus restrictions.

The government’s latest move follows successful introduction of mandatory face coverings on public transport, in line with expected changes to other lockdown measures.