Mandatory Face Mask / Coverings

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Dean

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  • Name: Dean Pugh
Mandatory Face Mask / Coverings
« on: September 16, 2020, 09:05:16 PM »
You will have seen over the weekend that Motorsport UK have made it Mandatory to wear Face Masks / Coverings at events.   I have attached the latest update.

This evening I have been on a Webinar with Hugh Chambers (Motorsport UK CEO) and others who explained the reasons behind this, and more importantly how it will work in practice.

Motorsport in the UK is currently seen by the Governments as a discretionary activity that does enjoy various freedoms to continue to operate, especially now that the size of social gatherings has been severely restricted.   To be allowed to continue and operate under these exemptions, we must all do the right thing, and be seen to do the right thing for all.

The medical advisor on the webinar, Dr Paul Trafford, explained that the primary purpose of a face covering is to stop you breathing out and releasing the aerosols that transmit the  virus to others.   It has a minor role in stopping you breathing in those aerosols and therefore the virus.   A face covering such as a mask, balaclava or wind-buff does this effectively when closing fitting around your mouth & nose.   A visor, is not sealed around  your mouth and nose does not stop these aerosols being released, hence why a visor is not acceptable.   The medical advisor also told us that for people not to wear a mask as a medical exemption is not acceptable in the motorsport setting.   The mask is not for your personal benefit (if it was you could choose whether or not to wear it), it is for the benefit of those around you, therefore to keep other safe it must be worn.

It was then explained that a Motorsport event should be considered and effectively split according to the density of people in an area :-

High Density of people - Mask / covering MUST be worn
Medium Density - Strongly recommended that a mask is worn
Low density - mask not required

For us at SLROC I would see this as:-

High Density Area - Assembly Area, Service Area, walking the course as a group (even though we would still be socially distanced at 2 meters), watching competitor compete with others (even though we would still be socially distanced at 2 meters), etc - FACE MASKS / COVERINGS MUST BE WORN
Medium Density - Walking the course alone (always at least 2 car lengths away from anyone, so more the 5 - 10 meters apart), watching competitors compete (always at least 2 car lengths away from anyone, so more the 5 - 10 meters apart, etc  - STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT FACE MASK / COVERING IS WORN*
Low Density - Marshal Stood on Hill side at a significant distance from anyone - mask not required.

*The difficulty with the Medium Density category is that human nature very quickly makes us move closer to people and we are suddenly in a high density area!!!

You do not need to wear a face mask / covering at an event if you are only with members of your own household.
You do not need to wear a face mask / covering if you are in your own vehicle, either competing or as a marshal (and as the only people that should be in your vehicle are member of your own household then it is also not required in this scenario).

I hope this helps and explains some of the reasoning behind what initially felt like a blanket demand.   If anyone has comments or questions I will try and answer or will forward to Motorsport UK for a response.

Take care and hope to see you out soon,

Dean
SLROC Chairman
« Last Edit: September 17, 2020, 03:01:29 PM by Dean »
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Dave T

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Re: Mandatory Face Mask / Coverings
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2020, 09:13:06 PM »
Seems like a reasonable explanation which we should probably be following in pretty much everything these days
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