Last month the Government removed the legal requirement to wear a face covering indoors and on public transport in England.

Since then, there’s been debate about whether people should continue to wear masks despite it no longer being a legal requirement. 

The team at the Zoe Covid Symptom Study have answered the key questions around mask wearing. 

Do masks work to protect against Covid-19?

A spokesman for the study said: "Wearing facemasks reduces both your risk of catching Covid and the chance that you will pass it on to other people. 

"A study involving more than 300,000 people showed that wearing face coverings reduces transmission within communities, in combination with physical distancing.

"Data from our US ZOE COVID Study app contributors also shows that wearing a mask reduces your risk of catching COVID-19 by over 60%. 

"And our study of health workers early in the pandemic showed that those without proper personal protective equipment were five times more likely to get infected. 

"In short, wearing a mask protects you and the people around you."

Why should we still wear masks?

Despite the lifting of restrictions and a return to relative normality, there are still tens of thousands of new cases every day. 

A spokesman for the study said: "Thankfully, vaccines have successfully weakened the link between the number of cases and hospitalisations and deaths, with fewer people getting seriously ill with COVID-19. 

"However, there’s still a risk of becoming infected, even if you’ve been double-jabbed.

"Although you’re unlikely to become seriously ill, you can still pass the virus on to others who are unvaccinated or less well protected by vaccination, such as cancer patients or transplant recipients. 

"Unfortunately, the Delta variant means that transmission is now easier than ever, and even a tiny droplet containing the virus can cause infection. 

"As long as it’s properly worn, a mask helps to prevent you from breathing in airborne droplets from those around you, reducing the risk of catching the virus. It also helps protect others from whatever you’re breathing out, especially if you’re infected without knowing. 

"Covid-19 transmission is easiest in crowded, indoor areas, which is why we recommend wearing a mask in these situations, even if you have had both of your vaccines."

Should I still wear a mask if everyone around me is not?

The team at the Zoe Covid Symptom Study says you should still consider wearning a face covering. 

They said: "People have also asked whether there’s any point in wearing a mask if everyone around you is unmasked. 

"If you are comfortable wearing your mask, we recommend doing so in crowded indoor settings, even if the people around you can’t be convinced to do the same.

"Even one mask in a group of people can reduce the risk of Covid spreading, protecting yourself and others."