Only 20% now wear masks on public transport, as Lincolnshire records 583 new cases on Tuesday

Public transport unions have warned the government may struggle to get people back to wearing masks if COVID surges in the winter, as 583 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Greater Lincolnshire.

Government figures on Monday showed 361 new cases in Lincolnshire, 86 in North East Lincolnshire and 136 in North Lincolnshire.

Five further deaths of Greater Lincolnshire residents were confirmed in the government figures, with four in Lincolnshire and one in North East Lincolnshire.

NHS data reported one fatality at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust.

A new report from the RMT union has said the number of people wearing masks on public transport and at major railways stations has dropped from 80% to 20%.

Mike Lynch, general secretary said people were ignoring rules even where masks were mandatory.

 “As more people see others failing to comply, the situation will escalate quickly over the autumn,” he said.

“With the government already making compulsory mask wearing on transport a contingency if cases escalate in the coming weeks, there is a real danger they won’t be able to get the genie back into the bottle.”

Lincolnshire’s coronavirus cases up to September 20. | Image: GOV.uk

A government spokesman said people needed to take personal responsibility.

“The guidance is clear that people are expected and recommended to wear a mask when they come into contact with people they don’t normally meet in enclosed and crowded spaces,” they said.

“It is open to transport operators to decide if they want to implement their own policies, working within their particular environment.”

Elsewhere, the Department of Education said just 0.7% of pupils were absent from school with COVID in England last week. The figure is a fall on previous ones.

Meanwhile, University College London (UCL) has warned that around 10,000 people could die of cancer earlier because of increased pressure and a lack of resources in the NHS.

It follows a survey of 2,096 UK adults in May and found three in four wanted blood tests for cancer screening.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Tuesday, September 21

109,001 cases (up 583)

• 71,511 in Lincolnshire (up 361)
• 17,210 in North Lincolnshire (up 136)
• 20,280 in North East Lincolnshire (up 86)

2,321 deaths (up five)

• 1,699 from Lincolnshire (up four)
• 316 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
• 306 from North East Lincolnshire (up one)

of which 1,393 hospital deaths (up one)

• 853 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
• 44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
• 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
• 496 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.