The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) Regulations 2020

Reasonable excuse

4.—(1) For the purposes of regulation 3(1), the circumstances in which a person (“P”) has a reasonable excuse include those where—

(a) P cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering—

(i) because of any physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability (within the meaning of section 6 of the Equality Act 2010(1)), or

(ii) without severe distress;

(b) P is accompanying, or providing assistance to, another person (“B”) and B relies on lip reading to communicate with P;

(c) P removes their face covering to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to themselves or others;

(d) P is entering or within a relevant place to avoid injury, or to escape a risk of harm, and does not have a face covering with them;

(e) it is reasonably necessary for P to eat or drink, P removes their face covering to eat or drink;

(f) P has to remove their face covering to take medication;

(g) a person responsible for a relevant place or an employee of that person acting in the course of their employment, requires that P remove their face covering in order to verify P’s identity;

(h) in a registered pharmacy, an employee of that registered pharmacy acting in the course of their employment, requires that P remove their face covering in order to assist in the provision of healthcare or healthcare advice to P;

(i) a relevant person requests that P remove their face covering.

(2) In this regulation “registered pharmacy” has the same meaning as in section 74 of the Medicines Act 1968(2).

(1)

2010 c. 15.

(2)

1968 c. 67.