THE OMICRON variant may continue to spread even if people keep wearing masks, an Oxford professor has warned amidst the rising COVID-19 cases of the new variant in the UK. The statement comes at the time when the Government has reintroduced face coverings in public transports and in shops.
So far, 11 cases of the variant have been reported in Britain, of which six have been reported from Scotland.
From Tuesday, shoppers and travellers in England face fines of ￡200 for refusing to wear a mask, with the penalties doubling for each offence to a maximum of ￡6,400.
Jim Naismith, director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute and professor of structural biology at the University of Oxford, said mask mandates had done little to prevent the spread of the delta variant in Scotland and were unlikely to stop omicron.
Prof Naismith said: “The Office for National Statistics survey results on prevalence shows that the Scottish and English approach to masking, although formally different since July, has made no meaningful difference to delta.
“In both countries, very high levels of prevalence have continued for months. Thus the new changes announced are unlikely to have much of an impact if omicron does indeed spread rapidly.”
Experts remain divided on how much impact face masks have in preventing the spread of Covid.
Some believe face coverings are only useful when social distancing cannot be maintained, while others think they prevent the picking up of virus particles in the air even when people are not close.
Robert Dingwall, a professor of sociology at Nottingham Trent University and a former Government Covid adviser, said: “We can certainly say with confidence that all the extra restrictions in those nations do not seem to be having much effect, given that the trajectory of infections does not differ markedly from that in England.
“However, we cannot then go on to single out one element and draw conclusions about that. Mask mandates are only one part of the package, and the comparisons often lack details about enforcement and compliance.
“I hear, for example, that Aberdeen is much more relaxed than either Glasgow or Edinburgh – and I suspect that once you get into smaller towns there is very little going on.”
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However, some scientists believe masks can help when used alongside other interventions.
Dr Julian Tang, an honorary associate professor and clinical virologist at the University of Leicester, said: "Protection is not black and white – masking, social distancing and improved ventilation just reduce these risks, they do not remove them completely.
“So wearing any mask or face covering – cloth, surgical, etc – is better than none, some degree of social distancing is better than none, some ventilation is better than none. A combination of these is also better than just one.
“In my view, the only thing that really has an impact on transmission is working from home and reducing social contacts altogether, but the Government is desperate not to stall the back to the office movement.”
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Despite the rules, the country saw a surge of Covid infections in the autumn, similar to rises seen in England.