Covid-19 IOM Study of Face-Coverings in Retail Environments

What benefit and value does this project contribute to society?

This project helped detect gaps in knowledge, highlight ineffective practices, and understand the things that affect people’s use of face-coverings in a retail consulting environment. The project also helped to understand whether factors affecting the wearing of face coverings are the same or different for workers and members of the public within retail consulting environments.

The valuable findings generated by this project will help to:

  • Inform sector-specific recommendations to support the continued safe operation of retail consulting rooms, for the benefit of workers and customers alike.
  • Provide an evidence base for government, industry and the wider community to target educational messaging, risk communication strategies and behaviour change campaigns among workers and consumers regarding effective wearing, storage and disposal/cleaning of face-coverings.

This study is part of a wider programme of work: The PROTECT COVID-19 National Core Study on transmission and environment. Click here to find out more. 

This PROTECT National Core Study explores the wearing of face coverings amongst workers and members of the public within small consulting rooms within a retail environment. For example, services being delivered in close proximity to customers within pharmacies, opticians and hair & beauty salons, where personal services are provided away from the busy shop floor.