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Health Minister Defends Maskless Tory MPs Despite Advice Telling People To Cover Up

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London. (Photo: House of Commons via PA Wire/PA Images)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London. (Photo: House of Commons via PA Wire/PA Images)

Health minister Edward Argar has defended Tory MPs who refuse to wear masks in parliament — despite the government toughening up its own advice to the public just yesterday.

Argar said the decision to wear a mask was a “choice” and “judgement call” for people, even as health secretary Sajid Javid yesterday urged the public to put them on in crowded spaces and to meet outdoors amid a rapid surge in the number of Covid cases.

Images of a packed Commons chamber with maskless MPs has prompted criticism that the government is undermining its own advice by not following it.

And asked by Times Radio whether Tory MPs should look to set an example, Argar replied: “You have what Saj said — it’s a judgment call. It’s for individuals to make that judgment call.”

Mask-wearing in public was just one of a number of interventions made by Javid on Wednesday, as he warned that Covid cases could go as high as 100,000 a day.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday afternoon, the health secretary said the pandemic was “not over” and warned that if people did not wear masks in “really crowded places” then it was “likely we are going to have more restrictions”.

Pressed on whether the government could ask the public to wear masks but not do the same themselves, Argar replied: “That’s about people exercising their judgment based on the guidance, based on the advice.”

There are currently around 49,000 Covid cases a day in the UK. Ministers have so far rejected demands it implement its “Plan B” contingency measures for suppressing Covid.

Argar defended the decision not to impose the contingency measures — which would see some restrictions such as working from home reintroduced — telling Sky News: “I don’t think we’re at that point yet.”

However, the government own chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, warned ministers that should act swiftly.

Argar told Sky News: “I think what Patrick’s saying there is you’ve got to look ahead.

“We know that you have a lead time of two weeks roughly between infections and hospitalisations, and for the two weeks between, sadly, hospitalisations and deaths in the most serious cases.

“The key change has been the vaccination programme, which has altered the dynamics since I first started talking to you about this.

“I think what Patrick saying is always look to the future, consider when is the right moment to act.

“I don’t think we’re at that point yet.”

This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.

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