PEOPLE will be expected to wear face coverings when in indoor public places, a Government minister has said, ahead of the July 19 removal of Covid restrictions.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said he expects people to continue to wear masks indoors, despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson choosing to remove the legal requirement for masks in Step 4 of the roadmap from July 19.

The move to end the need for masks has been criticised - particularly in settings such as public transport and other busy public venues - as case numbers continue to spiral higher across the country.

More than 120 scientists and doctors signed a letter in The Lancet accusing the UK Government of conducting a “dangerous and unethical experiment” and urging it to rethink the move to abandon all curbs.

But Nadhim Zahawi said guidance set out on Monday would say people were expected to wear masks in indoor enclosed spaces, although the legal requirement to do so would be dropped.

Mr Zahawi: “I think it’s important that we remain cautious and careful and the guidelines that we’ll set out tomorrow will demonstrate that, including guidelines that people are expected to wear masks in indoor enclosed spaces.”

It comes as Health Secretary Sajid Javid added that anyone who would not wear a mask in an enclosed space was “just being irresponsible”.

Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “Given Sajid Javid now considers it irresponsible to not wear masks then it would be equally irresponsible for his Government to carry on with the plan to lift mask requirements while infections are heading to 100,000 a day.”