UKMFA Open Letter to Employers and Public Institutions re Face Mask Requirements Exit Strategy

11/05/22

The legal requirements for face masks have now been lifted throughout the UK. Nevertheless, some employers and institutions still require or encourage their employees and visitors to cover their faces. We call upon all employers and public institutions to make face masks optional for everyone with immediate effect. If they have decided to interpret Government recommendations as requirements, we demand a published justification that is rooted in a scientific evidence-base, including detailed impact and risk assessments.

We detail the lack of evidence of benefit, and the wealth of evidence of harms resulting from the use of face masks. We urge employers and decision-makers to uphold the principle of evidence-based medicine in their policies and practices, including the right to informed consent to medical interventions. Denying employees and visitors the right to decline a medical intervention (a face mask) without coercion, penalty or restriction is in breach of well-established ethical principles and legal codes.

We encourage our supporters to share this letter with employers, institutions and businesses that continue to encourage or enforce the use of face-masks.