Shops and other retail outlets should not be expected to police the wearing of face masks, which will be difficult to impose “unless the Government makes it mandatory” , according to RGDATA.

Shops and other retail outlets should not be expected to police the wearing of face masks, which will be difficult to impose “unless the Government makes it mandatory”, according to the Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trades Association.
Yesterday the Government announced that face coverings must now be worn in all shops, retail settings and shopping centres.
The Government said the strong advice is for people to start obeying the guidance immediately, but regulations will take some time to draft.
Regulations to enforce the compulsory wearing of face coverings on public transport came into effect this week.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is very concerned given the ‘R’ number is now between 1.2 and 1.8.
The minister said if it is 1.8, then within three weeks we could see be up to 160 cases of Covid-19 per day.
The reproductive rate, or ‘R number’, indicates the number of people on average that an infected person will pass the virus on to.
He said delaying the reopening of pubs from next week to next month was not an easy decision to make. 
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Sarah McInerney Tara Buckley of RGDATA said “back up” will be needed to support staff.
She said while a lot of their members are putting up signs to advise people to wear face coverings, the challenge now is how it is going to be policed. 
“Supermarkets have already had to up their security… we would not like the onus to be on the shop to police it.”
Ms Buckley said customers should know there will be spot checks or spot fines if they are not wearing masks, so that the message gets home that this is mandatory.
Regarding compliance, she said, there will always be that 1% of the public that do not comply with rules.
She cited examples of situations where some retailers have experienced people spitting and fighting in resisting the protocols and measures, which led to staff calling gardaí.
In relation to face masks for the public, she said she does not think the onus should be on shops to provide them free to customers, saying it is up to the public to realise they need their own face mask.
She said RGDATA members do not have any problem with the latest advice coming from the medical experts. 
John Douglas of the Mandate Trade Union said it welcomesthe call to wear face masks as it is reassuring for both staff and customers. 
However, he thinks that the level of fines and a possibility of jailing is “OTT”. 
“I think someone running to the shop for bottle of milk facing a €2,000 fine or a jail term is draconian.”
He thinks 99% of customers understand why we the masks are being imposed.
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Speaking on the same programme, Public Health Specialist and Professor at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Ruairi Brugha said if we do not take the right actions right now we risk facing a second wave of the virus.
“Evidence has grown about the benefit of masks to reduce the risks. We have also said it is a sign to people we are taking this virus seriously.”
He said ensuring people wear masks in any indoor venue apart from their houses will be a signal to people we are entering a more dangerous stage than the last two months.
He said the R number could get rapidly out of control if we don’t act cautiously and it is not only the R rate we need to look at but the dispersion factor
He said where people congregate in poorly ventilated areas, that can drive up the numbers.
Meanwhile, hoteliers have said the Government’s decision to delay increasing the size of gatherings until 10 August will put further pressure on the sector, at a time when hotels and wedding venues are struggling to survive.
President of the Irish Hotels Federation Elaina Fitzgerald Kane said it will put thousands of hospitality jobs at risk and called for more clarity around the Phase 4 reopening, including linking the size of a gathering to the capacity of a venue.
She said while she understands the reason for the delay to the final phase of re-opening the country, she is disappointed.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland she said “hitting the pause button” will mean an impact for those who have planned gatherings at hotels and wedding venues.
She said around 18,000 wedding couples have had their wedding day affected due to Covid-19 so far this year and she said this announcement will mean “huge anxiety” among that group. 
She said “some have already changed their plans two or three times”.
She said health and safety has always been their priority as they work in the current environment.
Ms Fitzgerald Kane said despite the current low capacity in hotels, she said for consumers it is positive as it means plenty of availability around the country for those considering a staycation.
“As it stands only 30% of hotel rooms are booked around the country”, adding that at coastal properties that figure is a little higher. She said people can avail of good rates. 
Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane has highlighted the deep frustrations that many businesses will feel regarding the delays to reopening until next month.
He said businesses will need to be supported and his party will publish proposals on supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Concern has also been expressed as to how the Government delivers its message that wearing masks is now mandatory in shops and indoor settings.
Labour’s Duncan Smith has said the Government needs to communicate this rule effectively with guidelines and an information campaign to ensure there is compliance.
Yesterday, the Department of Health said there were two further deaths of people who had previously been diagnosed with Covid-19.
The overall death toll is 1,748.
The department also said there was an additional 14 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, bringing the overall total number of cases here to 25,683.
The World Health Organization says data to date suggests 80% of Covid-19 infections are mild or asymptomatic, 15% are severe infection, requiring oxygen and 5% are critical, requiring ventilation.
Generally, you need to be 15 minutes or more in the vicinity of an infected person and within two metres of them, to be considered at-risk, or a close contact.