By Emma Batha
July 15 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Many people in England will breathe a sigh of relief on Monday as they bin their loathed face masks following the lifting of almost all COVID-19 restrictions on what has been dubbed “freedom day”.
But with infections rising again others say the government is acting too hastily in abandoning face coverings, which have been compulsory in shops and other indoor public spaces since July 2020.
The government has said people should still wear masks in crowded areas, but it will no longer be a legal requirement and businesses are free to draw up their own guidelines.
Heated arguments have erupted on social media between people threatening to boycott stores that ask them to wear a mask, and others threatening to take their business elsewhere if shops do not insist on face coverings.
Adding to the confusion, masks will remain mandatory in the rest of Britain.
So what is happening on Monday and why are people so riled up?
