Face masks again mandatory in England amid variant spread

LONDON (AP) — New measures to combat the new omicron variant of coronavirus have come into force in England, with face coverings again compulsory in shops and on public transport. From Tuesday morning, all travelers returning to the U.K. must also take a PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. The reintroduction of mandatory face masks brings England closer into line with the rest of the U.K. —Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — which had not relaxed coronavirus restrictions as much as England had done since the summer. About 14 cases of the omicron variant have so far been identified across the U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the new measures will “buy us time in the face” of the new variant.