Patients will still need a mask at Shropshire GP practices

Ahead of what has been dubbed Freedom Day, all 51 of the county's GP practices have agreed that they will still require people to wear face coverings when attending.

Dr Charlotte Hart, GP Partner at Radbrook Green Surgery and Clinical Director of Shrewsbury Primary Care Network, said: "All 51 practices in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin have said that from July 19 they will be asking patients to continue to wear masks when coming into practices.

"We know it is no longer law but we feel very strongly that we need to continue to protect patients and staff as well.

"Coming into a GP surgery is quite a different environment, we have people who are vulnerable so we are asking patients to continue to wear masks, sanitise, and observe social distancing."

She added: "We are not doing it to be difficult, we are doing it to protect them, protect patients and staff and keep things moving forward in a positive way."

Dr Hart said that said GPs across the county were hoping people would take responsibility to continue wearing masks and to socially distance, even after the rules are relaxed.

She said she would personally continue to wear masks at the supermarket and in enclosed areas, and would also continue to observe hand sanitising and previous distancing guidance.

Dr Hart added: "For me Monday is not freedom day, to me freedom day is when we have beaten this virus and we not beaten it yet, it is still on the rise.

"Monday is when we start taking responsibility for our actions, and we need to make sure we protect ourselves and protect others in our families and communities. We have done that really well for 12 months but that does not mean we can stop on Monday."

Dr Hart added: "I am still going to wear a mask at the supermarket. I was wearing them long before they became mandatory last year.

"I will be wearing one in any enclosed environment irrespective of how crowded it is, mainly because I feel it is my responsibility as a citizen to keep people as safe as we can.

"I think we need to remember that going forward it is not a chance to throw hands in the air and say we are not doing it any more."

Dr Hart said that people who have received both jabs should not consider themselves immune, adding: "Just because you have been double jabbed does not mean you are invincible. You can still catch it; we had four patients double jabbed at the practice yesterday who have had it – it is still out there."

She added: "Simply putting a mask on you may stop people getting this awful infection, having long-term complications, even dying, and I think that is worth wearing a mask for."