SHOPPERS are now wearing face masks again after new rules were introduced earlier this week to curb the spread of the new Omicron variant.

Police also have the power to issue £200 fines to people not wearing face coverings, doubling each time to £400 then £800, up to a maximum of £6,400.

We've been out in Reading town centre today (Wednesday, December 1) to find out what people's opinions are on them coming back and whether they think there should be more restrictions too.

We spoke to shoppers to hear their thoughts on the new measures and whether they're happy to wear a face mask again.

READ MORE: Snapshot survey shows people shopping without masks in Reading

Edith Henderson from Woodcote said: "It doesn't really bother me. I haven't stopped wearing one to be honest and I feel that NHS staff are wearing them all the time, including all their kit and everything - when somebody gets ill so it's a small price to pay.

Reading Chronicle:

"I think in order to stop the spread of it you should try and do something so masks are the least invasive, I mean I wouldn't like to go into lockdown again."

Colin Norris said: "You just do as your told. If someone says you've got to wear a mask, you wear it. Sometimes I believe Boris doesn't know whether he's coming or going. Obviously, he's getting the information off experts so he's only relaying that over to us."

Reading Chronicle:

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Rosalind Parry explained how she feels to wear a mask again: "I feel fine. I'd rather be safe than sorry."

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She also said she feels "annoyed" when people don't wear masks adding: "because if they're, god forbid, they've got it- you're susceptible to it, you know what I mean?

"If you've got to do something you have to do it for a reason. My reason is I don't want to catch it and I don't want my grandchildren to get it from us."